ἸΛΙΆΣ 9

Ὣς οἳ μὲν Τρῶες φυλακὰς ἔχον· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὺς
θεσπεσίη ἔχε φύζα φόβου κρυόεντος ἑταίρη,
πένθεϊ δ’ ἀτλήτῳ βεβολήατο πάντες ἄριστοι.
ὡς δ’ ἄνεμοι δύο πόντον ὀρίνετον ἰχθυόεντα,
βορέης καὶ Ζέφυρος, τώ τε Θρῄκηθεν ἄητον, 5
ἐλθόντ’ ἐξαπίνης· ἄμυδις δέ τε κῦμα κελαινὸν
κορθύεται, πολλὸν δὲ παρὲξ ἅλα φῦκος ἔχευεν·
ὣς ἐδαΐζετο θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν Ἀχαιῶν.
Ἀτρεΐδης δ’ ἄχεϊ μεγάλῳ βεβολημένος ἦτορ
φοίτα κηρύκεσσι λιγυφθόγγοισι κελεύων 10
κλήδην εἰς ἀγορὴν κικλήσκειν ἄνδρα ἕκαστον,
μὴ δὲ βοᾶν· αὐτὸς δὲ μετὰ πρώτοισι πονεῖτο.
ἷζον δ’ εἰν ἀγορῇ τετιηότες· ἂν δ’ Ἀγαμέμνων
ἵστατο δάκρυ χέων ὥς τε κρήνη μελάνυδρος,
ἥ τε κατ’ αἰγίλιπος πέτρης δνοφερὸν χέει ὕδωρ· 15
ὣς ὃ βαρὺ στενάχων ἔπε’ Ἀργείοισι μετηύδα·
«ὦ φίλοι Ἀργείων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες
Ζεύς με μέγα Κρονίδης ἄτῃ ἐνέδησε βαρείῃ,
σχέτλιος, ὃς τότε μέν μοι ὑπέσχετο καὶ κατένευσεν

Ἴλιον ἐκπέρσαντ’ εὐτείχεον ἀπονέεσθαι, 20
νῦν δὲ κακὴν ἀπάτην βουλεύσατο, καί με κελεύει
δυσκλέα Ἄργος ἱκέσθαι, ἐπεὶ πολὺν ὤλεσα λαόν.
οὕτω που Διὶ μέλλει ὑπερμενέϊ φίλον εἶναι,
ὃς δὴ πολλάων πολίων κατέλυσε κάρηνα
ἠδ’ ἔτι καὶ λύσει· τοῦ γὰρ κράτος ἐστὶ μέγιστον. 25
ἀλλ’ ἄγεθ’ ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω πειθώμεθα πάντες·
φεύγωμεν σὺν νηυσὶ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν·
οὐ γὰρ ἔτι Τροίην αἱρήσομεν εὐρυάγυιαν.»
Ὣς ἔφαθ’, οἳ δ’ ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ.
δὴν δ’ ἄνεῳ ἦσαν τετιηότες υἷες Ἀχαιῶν· 30
ὀψὲ δὲ δὴ μετέειπε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης·
«Ἀτρεΐδη σοὶ πρῶτα μαχήσομαι ἀφραδέοντι,
ἣ θέμις ἐστὶν ἄναξ ἀγορῇ· σὺ δὲ μή τι χολωθῇς.
ἀλκὴν μέν μοι πρῶτον ὀνείδισας ἐν Δαναοῖσι
φὰς ἔμεν ἀπτόλεμον καὶ ἀνάλκιδα· ταῦτα δὲ πάντα 35
ἴσασ’ Ἀργείων ἠμὲν νέοι ἠδὲ γέροντες.
σοὶ δὲ διάνδιχα δῶκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω·
σκήπτρῳ μέν τοι δῶκε τετιμῆσθαι περὶ πάντων,
ἀλκὴν δ’ οὔ τοι δῶκεν, ὅ τε κράτος ἐστὶ μέγιστον.
δαιμόνι’ οὕτω που μάλα ἔλπεαι υἷας Ἀχαιῶν 40
ἀπτολέμους τ’ ἔμεναι καὶ ἀνάλκιδας ὡς ἀγορεύεις;
εἰ δέ τοι αὐτῷ θυμὸς ἐπέσσυται ὥς τε νέεσθαι
ἔρχεο· πάρ τοι ὁδός, νῆες δέ τοι ἄγχι θαλάσσης
ἑστᾶσ’, αἵ τοι ἕποντο Μυκήνηθεν μάλα πολλαί.
ἀλλ’ ἄλλοι μενέουσι κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοὶ 45
εἰς ὅ κέ περ Τροίην διαπέρσομεν. εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ
φευγόντων σὺν νηυσὶ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν·

νῶϊ δ’ ἐγὼ Σθένελός τε μαχησόμεθ’ εἰς ὅ κε τέκμωρ
Ἰλίου εὕρωμεν· σὺν γὰρ θεῷ εἰλήλουθμεν.»
Ὣς ἔφαθ’, οἳ δ’ ἄρα πάντες ἐπίαχον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν 50
μῦθον ἀγασσάμενοι Διομήδεος ἱπποδάμοιο.
τοῖσι δ’ ἀνιστάμενος μετεφώνεεν ἱππότα Νέστωρ·
«Τυδεΐδη περὶ μὲν πολέμῳ ἔνι καρτερός ἐσσι,
καὶ βουλῇ μετὰ πάντας ὁμήλικας ἔπλευ ἄριστος.
οὔ τίς τοι τὸν μῦθον ὀνόσσεται ὅσσοι Ἀχαιοί, 55
οὐδὲ πάλιν ἐρέει· ἀτὰρ οὐ τέλος ἵκεο μύθων.
ἦ μὲν καὶ νέος ἐσσί, ἐμὸς δέ κε καὶ πάϊς εἴης
ὁπλότατος γενεῆφιν· ἀτὰρ πεπνυμένα βάζεις
Ἀργείων βασιλῆας, ἐπεὶ κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες.
ἀλλ’ ἄγ’ ἐγών, ὃς σεῖο γεραίτερος εὔχομαι εἶναι, 60
ἐξείπω καὶ πάντα διίξομαι· οὐδέ κέ τίς μοι
μῦθον ἀτιμήσει’, οὐδὲ κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων.
ἀφρήτωρ ἀθέμιστος ἀνέστιός ἐστιν ἐκεῖνος
ὃς πολέμου ἔραται ἐπιδημίου ὀκρυόεντος.
ἀλλ’ ἤτοι νῦν μὲν πειθώμεθα νυκτὶ μελαίνῃ 65
δόρπά τ’ ἐφοπλισόμεσθα· φυλακτῆρες δὲ ἕκαστοι
λεξάσθων παρὰ τάφρον ὀρυκτὴν τείχεος ἐκτός.
κούροισιν μὲν ταῦτ’ ἐπιτέλλομαι· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα
Ἀτρεΐδη σὺ μὲν ἄρχε· σὺ γὰρ βασιλεύτατός ἐσσι.
δαίνυ δαῖτα γέρουσιν· ἔοικέ τοι, οὔ τοι ἀεικές. 70
πλεῖαί τοι οἴνου κλισίαι, τὸν νῆες Ἀχαιῶν
ἠμάτιαι Θρῄκηθεν ἐπ’ εὐρέα πόντον ἄγουσι·
πᾶσά τοί ἐσθ’ ὑποδεξίη, πολέεσσι δ’ ἀνάσσεις.
πολλῶν δ’ ἀγρομένων τῷ πείσεαι ὅς κεν ἀρίστην
βουλὴν βουλεύσῃ· μάλα δὲ χρεὼ πάντας Ἀχαιοὺς 75
ἐσθλῆς καὶ πυκινῆς, ὅτι δήϊοι ἐγγύθι νηῶν
καίουσιν πυρὰ πολλά· τίς ἂν τάδε γηθήσειε;
νὺξ δ’ ἧδ’ ἠὲ διαῤῥαίσει στρατὸν ἠὲ σαώσει.»

Ὣς ἔφαθ’, οἳ δ’ ἄρα τοῦ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδὲ πίθοντο.
ἐκ δὲ φυλακτῆρες σὺν τεύχεσιν ἐσσεύοντο 80
ἀμφί τε Νεστορίδην Θρασυμήδεα ποιμένα λαῶν,
ἠδ’ ἀμφ’ Ἀσκάλαφον καὶ Ἰάλμενον υἷας Ἄρηος
ἀμφί τε Μηριόνην Ἀφαρῆά τε Δηΐπυρόν τε,
ἠδ’ ἀμφὶ Κρείοντος υἱὸν Λυκομήδεα δῖον.
ἕπτ’ ἔσαν ἡγεμόνες φυλάκων, ἑκατὸν δὲ ἑκάστῳ 85
κοῦροι ἅμα στεῖχον δολίχ’ ἔγχεα χερσὶν ἔχοντες·
κὰδ δὲ μέσον τάφρου καὶ τείχεος ἷζον ἰόντες·
ἔνθα δὲ πῦρ κήαντο, τίθεντο δὲ δόρπα ἕκαστος.
Ἀτρεΐδης δὲ γέροντας ἀολλέας ἦγεν Ἀχαιῶν
ἐς κλισίην, παρὰ δέ σφι τίθει μενοεικέα δαῖτα. 90
οἳ δ’ ἐπ’ ὀνείαθ’ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,
τοῖς ὁ γέρων πάμπρωτος ὑφαίνειν ἤρχετο μῆτιν
Νέστωρ, οὗ καὶ πρόσθεν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλή·
ὅ σφιν ἐϋφρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν· 95
«Ἀτρεΐδη κύδιστε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγάμεμνον
ἐν σοὶ μὲν λήξω, σέο δ’ ἄρξομαι, οὕνεκα πολλῶν
λαῶν ἐσσι ἄναξ καί τοι Ζεὺς ἐγγυάλιξε
σκῆπτρόν τ’ ἠδὲ θέμιστας, ἵνά σφισι βουλεύῃσθα.
τώ σε χρὴ περὶ μὲν φάσθαι ἔπος ἠδ’ ἐπακοῦσαι, 100
κρηῆναι δὲ καὶ ἄλλῳ, ὅτ’ ἄν τινα θυμὸς ἀνώγῃ
εἰπεῖν εἰς ἀγαθόν· σέο δ’ ἕξεται ὅττί κεν ἄρχῃ.
αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐρέω ὥς μοι δοκεῖ εἶναι ἄριστα.
οὐ γάρ τις νόον ἄλλος ἀμείνονα τοῦδε νοήσει
οἷον ἐγὼ νοέω ἠμὲν πάλαι ἠδ’ ἔτι καὶ νῦν 105
ἐξ ἔτι τοῦ ὅτε διογενὲς Βρισηΐδα κούρην
χωομένου Ἀχιλῆος ἔβης κλισίηθεν ἀπούρας
οὔ τι καθ’ ἡμέτερόν γε νόον· μάλα γάρ τοι ἔγωγε

πόλλ’ ἀπεμυθεόμην· σὺ δὲ σῷ μεγαλήτορι θυμῷ
εἴξας ἄνδρα φέριστον, ὃν ἀθάνατοί περ ἔτισαν, 110
ἠτίμησας, ἑλὼν γὰρ ἔχεις γέρας· ἀλλ’ ἔτι καὶ νῦν
φραζώμεσθ’ ὥς κέν μιν ἀρεσσάμενοι πεπίθωμεν
δώροισίν τ’ ἀγανοῖσιν ἔπεσσί τε μειλιχίοισι.»
Τὸν δ’ αὖτε προσέειπεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων·
«ὦ γέρον οὔ τι ψεῦδος ἐμὰς ἄτας κατέλεξας· 115
ἀασάμην, οὐδ’ αὐτὸς ἀναίνομαι. ἀντί νυ πολλῶν
λαῶν ἐστὶν ἀνὴρ ὅν τε Ζεὺς κῆρι φιλήσῃ,
ὡς νῦν τοῦτον ἔτισε, δάμασσε δὲ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν.
ἀλλ’ ἐπεὶ ἀασάμην φρεσὶ λευγαλέῃσι πιθήσας,
ἂψ ἐθέλω ἀρέσαι δόμεναί τ’ ἀπερείσι’ ἄποινα. 120
ὑμῖν δ’ ἐν πάντεσσι περικλυτὰ δῶρ’ ὀνομήνω
ἕπτ’ ἀπύρους τρίποδας, δέκα δὲ χρυσοῖο τάλαντα,
αἴθωνας δὲ λέβητας ἐείκοσι, δώδεκα δ’ ἵππους
πηγοὺς ἀθλοφόρους, οἳ ἀέθλια ποσσὶν ἄροντο.
οὔ κεν ἀλήϊος εἴη ἀνὴρ ᾧ τόσσα γένοιτο, 125
οὐδέ κεν ἀκτήμων ἐριτίμοιο χρυσοῖο,
ὅσσά μοι ἠνείκαντο ἀέθλια μώνυχες ἵπποι.
δώσω δ’ ἑπτὰ γυναῖκας ἀμύμονα ἔργα ἰδυίας
Λεσβίδας, ἃς ὅτε Λέσβον ἐϋκτιμένην ἕλεν αὐτὸς
ἐξελόμην, αἳ κάλλει ἐνίκων φῦλα γυναικῶν. 130
τὰς μέν οἱ δώσω, μετὰ δ’ ἔσσεται ἣν τότ’ ἀπηύρων
κούρη Βρισῆος· ἐπὶ δὲ μέγαν ὅρκον ὀμοῦμαι
μή ποτε τῆς εὐνῆς ἐπιβήμεναι ἠδὲ μιγῆναι,
ἣ θέμις ἀνθρώπων πέλει ἀνδρῶν ἠδὲ γυναικῶν.
ταῦτα μὲν αὐτίκα πάντα παρέσσεται· εἰ δέ κεν αὖτε 135
ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμοιο θεοὶ δώωσ’ ἀλαπάξαι,

νῆα ἅλις χρυσοῦ καὶ χαλκοῦ νηησάσθω
εἰσελθών, ὅτε κεν δατεώμεθα ληΐδ’ Ἀχαιοί,
Τρωϊάδας δὲ γυναῖκας ἐείκοσιν αὐτὸς ἑλέσθω,
αἴ κε μετ’ Ἀργείην Ἑλένην κάλλισται ἔωσιν. 140
εἰ δέ κεν Ἄργος ἱκοίμεθ’ Ἀχαιϊκὸν οὖθαρ ἀρούρης
γαμβρός κέν μοι ἔοι· τίσω δέ μιν ἶσον Ὀρέστῃ,
ὅς μοι τηλύγετος τρέφεται θαλίῃ ἔνι πολλῇ.
τρεῖς δέ μοί εἰσι θύγατρες ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ εὐπήκτῳ
Χρυσόθεμις καὶ Λαοδίκη καὶ Ἰφιάνασσα, 145
τάων ἥν κ’ ἐθέλῃσι φίλην ἀνάεδνον ἀγέσθω
πρὸς οἶκον Πηλῆος· ἐγὼ δ’ ἐπὶ μείλια δώσω
πολλὰ μάλ’, ὅσσ’ οὔ πώ τις ἑῇ ἐπέδωκε θυγατρί·
ἑπτὰ δέ οἱ δώσω εὖ ναιόμενα πτολίεθρα
Καρδαμύλην Ἐνόπην τε καὶ Ἱρὴν ποιήεσσαν 150
Φηράς τε ζαθέας ἠδ’ Ἄνθειαν βαθύλειμον
καλήν τ’ Αἴπειαν καὶ Πήδασον ἀμπελόεσσαν.
πᾶσαι δ’ ἐγγὺς ἁλός, νέαται Πύλου ἠμαθόεντος·
ἐν δ’ ἄνδρες ναίουσι πολύῤῥηνες πολυβοῦται,
οἵ κέ ἑ δωτίνῃσι θεὸν ὣς τιμήσουσι 155
καί οἱ ὑπὸ σκήπτρῳ λιπαρὰς τελέουσι θέμιστας.
ταῦτά κέ οἱ τελέσαιμι μεταλήξαντι χόλοιο.
δμηθήτω—Ἀΐδης τοι ἀμείλιχος ἠδ’ ἀδάμαστος,
τοὔνεκα καί τε βροτοῖσι θεῶν ἔχθιστος ἁπάντων—
καί μοι ὑποστήτω ὅσσον βασιλεύτερός εἰμι 160
ἠδ’ ὅσσον γενεῇ προγενέστερος εὔχομαι εἶναι.»
Τὸν δ’ ἠμείβετ’ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·
«Ἀτρεΐδη κύδιστε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγάμεμνον
δῶρα μὲν οὐκέτ’ ὀνοστὰ διδοῖς Ἀχιλῆϊ ἄνακτι·
ἀλλ’ ἄγετε κλητοὺς ὀτρύνομεν, οἵ κε τάχιστα 165

ἔλθωσ’ ἐς κλισίην Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος.
εἰ δ’ ἄγε τοὺς ἂν ἐγὼ ἐπιόψομαι οἳ δὲ πιθέσθων.
Φοῖνιξ μὲν πρώτιστα Διῒ φίλος ἡγησάσθω,
αὐτὰρ ἔπειτ’ Αἴας τε μέγας καὶ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·
κηρύκων δ’ Ὀδίος τε καὶ Εὐρυβάτης ἅμ’ ἑπέσθων. 170
φέρτε δὲ χερσὶν ὕδωρ, εὐφημῆσαί τε κέλεσθε,
ὄφρα Διὶ Κρονίδῃ ἀρησόμεθ’, αἴ κ’ ἐλεήσῃ.»
Ὣς φάτο, τοῖσι δὲ πᾶσιν ἑαδότα μῦθον ἔειπεν.
αὐτίκα κήρυκες μὲν ὕδωρ ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἔχευαν,
κοῦροι δὲ κρητῆρας ἐπεστέψαντο ποτοῖο, 175
νώμησαν δ’ ἄρα πᾶσιν ἐπαρξάμενοι δεπάεσσιν.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ σπεῖσάν τ’ ἔπιόν θ’ ὅσον ἤθελε θυμός,
ὁρμῶντ’ ἐκ κλισίης Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο.
τοῖσι δὲ πόλλ’ ἐπέτελλε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ
δενδίλλων ἐς ἕκαστον, Ὀδυσσῆϊ δὲ μάλιστα, 180
πειρᾶν ὡς πεπίθοιεν ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐωνα.
Τὼ δὲ βάτην παρὰ θῖνα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης
πολλὰ μάλ’ εὐχομένω γαιηόχῳ ἐννοσιγαίῳ
ῥηϊδίως πεπιθεῖν μεγάλας φρένας Αἰακίδαο.
Μυρμιδόνων δ’ ἐπί τε κλισίας καὶ νῆας ἱκέσθην, 185
τὸν δ’ εὗρον φρένα τερπόμενον φόρμιγγι λιγείῃ
καλῇ δαιδαλέῃ, ἐπὶ δ’ ἀργύρεον ζυγὸν ἦεν,
τὴν ἄρετ’ ἐξ ἐνάρων πόλιν Ἠετίωνος ὀλέσσας·
τῇ ὅ γε θυμὸν ἔτερπεν, ἄειδε δ’ ἄρα κλέα ἀνδρῶν.
Πάτροκλος δέ οἱ οἶος ἐναντίος ἧστο σιωπῇ, 190
δέγμενος Αἰακίδην ὁπότε λήξειεν ἀείδων,
τὼ δὲ βάτην προτέρω, ἡγεῖτο δὲ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,
στὰν δὲ πρόσθ’ αὐτοῖο· ταφὼν δ’ ἀνόρουσεν Ἀχιλλεὺς
αὐτῇ σὺν φόρμιγγι λιπὼν ἕδος ἔνθα θάασσεν.
ὣς δ’ αὔτως Πάτροκλος, ἐπεὶ ἴδε φῶτας, ἀνέστη. 195

τὼ καὶ δεικνύμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·
«χαίρετον· ἦ φίλοι ἄνδρες ἱκάνετον ἦ τι μάλα χρεώ,
οἵ μοι σκυζομένῳ περ Ἀχαιῶν φίλτατοί ἐστον.»
Ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας προτέρω ἄγε δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς,
εἷσεν δ’ἐν κλισμοῖσι τάπησί τε πορφυρέοισιν. 200
αἶψα δὲ Πάτροκλον προσεφώνεεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντα·
«μείζονα δὴ κρητῆρα Μενοιτίου υἱὲ καθίστα,
ζωρότερον δὲ κέραιε, δέπας δ’ ἔντυνον ἑκάστῳ·
οἱ γὰρ φίλτατοι ἄνδρες ἐμῷ ὑπέασι μελάθρῳ.»
Ὣς φάτο, Πάτροκλος δὲ φίλῳ ἐπεπείθεθ’ ἑταίρῳ. 205
αὐτὰρ ὅ γε κρεῖον μέγα κάββαλεν ἐν πυρὸς αὐγῇ,
ἐν δ’ ἄρα νῶτον ἔθηκ’ ὄϊος καὶ πίονος αἰγός,
ἐν δὲ συὸς σιάλοιο ῥάχιν τεθαλυῖαν ἀλοιφῇ.
τῷ δ’ ἔχεν Αὐτομέδων, τάμνεν δ’ ἄρα δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.
καὶ τὰ μὲν εὖ μίστυλλε καὶ ἀμφ’ ὀβελοῖσιν ἔπειρε, 210
πῦρ δὲ Μενοιτιάδης δαῖεν μέγα ἰσόθεος φώς.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ πῦρ ἐκάη καὶ φλὸξ ἐμαράνθη,
ἀνθρακιὴν στορέσας ὀβελοὺς ἐφύπερθε τάνυσσε,
πάσσε δ’ ἁλὸς θείοιο κρατευτάων ἐπαείρας.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥ’ ὤπτησε καὶ εἰν ἐλεοῖσιν ἔχευε, 215
Πάτροκλος μὲν σῖτον ἑλὼν ἐπένειμε τραπέζῃ
καλοῖς ἐν κανέοισιν, ἀτὰρ κρέα νεῖμεν Ἀχιλλεύς.
αὐτὸς δ’ ἀντίον ἷζεν Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο
τοίχου τοῦ ἑτέροιο, θεοῖσι δὲ θῦσαι ἀνώγει
Πάτροκλον ὃν ἑταῖρον· ὃ δ’ ἐν πυρὶ βάλλε θυηλάς. 220
οἳ δ’ ἐπ’ ὀνείαθ’ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,

νεῦσ’ Αἴας Φοίνικι· νόησε δὲ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,
πλησάμενος δ’ οἴνοιο δέπας δείδεκτ’ Ἀχιλῆα·
«χαῖρ’ Ἀχιλεῦ· δαιτὸς μὲν ἐΐσης οὐκ ἐπιδευεῖς 225
ἠμὲν ἐνὶ κλισίῃ Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο
ἠδὲ καὶ ἐνθάδε νῦν, πάρα γὰρ μενοεικέα πολλὰ
δαίνυσθ’· ἀλλ’ οὐ δαιτὸς ἐπηράτου ἔργα μέμηλεν,
ἀλλὰ λίην μέγα πῆμα διοτρεφὲς εἰσορόωντες
δείδιμεν· ἐν δοιῇ δὲ σαωσέμεν ἢ ἀπολέσθαι 230
νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους, εἰ μὴ σύ γε δύσεαι ἀλκήν.
ἐγγὺς γὰρ νηῶν καὶ τείχεος αὖλιν ἔθεντο
Τρῶες ὑπέρθυμοι τηλεκλειτοί τ’ ἐπίκουροι
κηάμενοι πυρὰ πολλὰ κατὰ στρατόν, οὐδ’ ἔτι φασὶ
σχήσεσθ’, ἀλλ’ ἐν νηυσὶ μελαίνῃσιν πεσέεσθαι. 235
Ζεὺς δέ σφι Κρονίδης ἐνδέξια σήματα φαίνων
ἀστράπτει· Ἕκτωρ δὲ μέγα σθένεϊ βλεμεαίνων
μαίνεται ἐκπάγλως πίσυνος Διί, οὐδέ τι τίει
ἀνέρας οὐδὲ θεούς· κρατερὴ δέ ἑ λύσσα δέδυκεν.
ἀρᾶται δὲ τάχιστα φανήμεναι Ἠῶ δῖαν· 240
στεῦται γὰρ νηῶν ἀποκόψειν ἄκρα κόρυμβα
αὐτάς τ’ ἐμπρήσειν μαλεροῦ πυρός, αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὺς
δῃώσειν παρὰ τῇσιν ὀρινομένους ὑπὸ καπνοῦ.
ταῦτ’ αἰνῶς δείδοικα κατὰ φρένα, μή οἱ ἀπειλὰς
ἐκτελέσωσι θεοί, ἡμῖν δὲ δὴ αἴσιμον εἴη 245
φθίσθαι ἐνὶ Τροίῃ ἑκὰς Ἄργεος ἱπποβότοιο.
ἀλλ’ ἄνα εἰ μέμονάς γε καὶ ὀψέ περ υἷας Ἀχαιῶν
τειρομένους ἐρύεσθαι ὑπὸ Τρώων ὀρυμαγδοῦ.
αὐτῷ τοι μετόπισθ’ ἄχος ἔσσεται, οὐδέ τι μῆχος
ῥεχθέντος κακοῦ ἔστ’ ἄκος εὑρεῖν· ἀλλὰ πολὺ πρὶν 250
φράζευ ὅπως Δαναοῖσιν ἀλεξήσεις κακὸν ἦμαρ.

ὦ πέπον ἦ μὲν σοί γε πατὴρ ἐπετέλλετο Πηλεὺς
ἤματι τῷ ὅτε σ’ ἐκ Φθίης Ἀγαμέμνονι πέμπε·
“τέκνον ἐμὸν κάρτος μὲν Ἀθηναίη τε καὶ Ἥρη
δώσουσ’ αἴ κ’ ἐθέλωσι, σὺ δὲ μεγαλήτορα θυμὸν 255
ἴσχειν ἐν στήθεσσι· φιλοφροσύνη γὰρ ἀμείνων·
ληγέμεναι δ’ ἔριδος κακομηχάνου, ὄφρά σε μᾶλλον
τίωσ’ Ἀργείων ἠμὲν νέοι ἠδὲ γέροντες.”
ὣς ἐπέτελλ’ ὃ γέρων, σὺ δὲ λήθεαι· ἀλλ’ ἔτι καὶ νῦν
παύε’, ἔα δὲ χόλον θυμαλγέα· σοὶ δ’ Ἀγαμέμνων 260
ἄξια δῶρα δίδωσι μεταλήξαντι χόλοιο.
εἰ δὲ σὺ μέν μευ ἄκουσον, ἐγὼ δέ κέ τοι καταλέξω
ὅσσά τοι ἐν κλισίῃσιν ὑπέσχετο δῶρ’ Ἀγαμέμνων·
ἕπτ’ ἀπύρους τρίποδας, δέκα δὲ χρυσοῖο τάλαντα,
αἴθωνας δὲ λέβητας ἐείκοσι, δώδεκα δ’ ἵππους 265
πηγοὺς ἀθλοφόρους, οἳ ἀέθλια ποσσὶν ἄροντο.
οὔ κεν ἀλήϊος εἴη ἀνὴρ ᾧ τόσσα γένοιτο
οὐδέ κεν ἀκτήμων ἐριτίμοιο χρυσοῖο,
ὅσσ’ Ἀγαμέμνονος ἵπποι ἀέθλια ποσσὶν ἄροντο.
δώσει δ’ ἑπτὰ γυναῖκας ἀμύμονα ἔργα ἰδυίας 270
Λεσβίδας, ἃς ὅτε Λέσβον ἐϋκτιμένην ἕλες αὐτὸς
ἐξέλεθ’, αἳ τότε κάλλει ἐνίκων φῦλα γυναικῶν.
τὰς μέν τοι δώσει, μετὰ δ’ ἔσσεται ἣν τότ’ ἀπηύρα
κούρη Βρισῆος· ἐπὶ δὲ μέγαν ὅρκον ὀμεῖται
μή ποτε τῆς εὐνῆς ἐπιβήμεναι ἠδὲ μιγῆναι, 275
ἣ θέμις ἐστὶν ἄναξ ἤτ’ ἀνδρῶν ἤτε γυναικῶν.
ταῦτα μὲν αὐτίκα πάντα παρέσσεται· εἰ δέ κεν αὖτε
ἄστυ μέγα Πριάμοιο θεοὶ δώωσ’ ἀλαπάξαι,
νῆα ἅλις χρυσοῦ καὶ χαλκοῦ νηήσασθαι
εἰσελθών, ὅτε κεν δατεώμεθα ληΐδ’ Ἀχαιοί, 280

Τρωϊάδας δὲ γυναῖκας ἐείκοσιν αὐτὸς ἑλέσθαι,
αἵ κε μετ’ Ἀργείην Ἑλένην κάλλισται ἔωσιν.
εἰ δέ κεν Ἄργος ἱκοίμεθ’ Ἀχαιϊκὸν οὖθαρ ἀρούρης
γαμβρός κέν οἱ ἔοις· τίσει δέ σε ἶσον Ὀρέστῃ,
ὅς οἱ τηλύγετος τρέφεται θαλίῃ ἔνι πολλῇ. 285
τρεῖς δέ οἵ εἰσι θύγατρες ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ εὐπήκτῳ
Χρυσόθεμις καὶ Λαοδίκη καὶ Ἰφιάνασσα,
τάων ἥν κ’ ἐθέλῃσθα φίλην ἀνάεδνον ἄγεσθαι
πρὸς οἶκον Πηλῆος· ὃ δ’ αὖτ’ ἐπὶ μείλια δώσει
πολλὰ μάλ’, ὅσσ’ οὔ πώ τις ἑῇ ἐπέδωκε θυγατρί· 290
ἑπτὰ δέ τοι δώσει εὖ ναιόμενα πτολίεθρα
Καρδαμύλην Ἐνόπην τε καὶ Ἱρὴν ποιήεσσαν
Φηράς τε ζαθέας ἠδ’ Ἄνθειαν βαθύλειμον
καλήν τ’ Αἴπειαν καὶ Πήδασον ἀμπελόεσσαν.
πᾶσαι δ’ ἐγγὺς ἁλός, νέαται Πύλου ἠμαθόεντος· 295
ἐν δ’ ἄνδρες ναίουσι πολύῤῥηνες πολυβοῦται,
οἵ κέ σε δωτίνῃσι θεὸν ὣς τιμήσουσι
καί τοι ὑπὸ σκήπτρῳ λιπαρὰς τελέουσι θέμιστας.
ταῦτά κέ τοι τελέσειε μεταλήξαντι χόλοιο.
εἰ δέ τοι Ἀτρεΐδης μὲν ἀπήχθετο κηρόθι μᾶλλον 300
αὐτὸς καὶ τοῦ δῶρα, σὺ δ’ ἄλλους περ Παναχαιοὺς
τειρομένους ἐλέαιρε κατὰ στρατόν, οἵ σε θεὸν ὣς
τίσουσ’· ἦ γάρ κέ σφι μάλα μέγα κῦδος ἄροιο·
νῦν γάρ χ’ Ἕκτορ’ ἕλοις, ἐπεὶ ἂν μάλα τοι σχεδὸν ἔλθοι
λύσσαν ἔχων ὀλοήν, ἐπεὶ οὔ τινά φησιν ὁμοῖον 305
οἷ ἔμεναι Δαναῶν οὓς ἐνθάδε νῆες ἔνεικαν.»
Τὸν δ’ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·
«διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη πολυμήχαν’ Ὀδυσσεῦ
χρὴ μὲν δὴ τὸν μῦθον ἀπηλεγέως ἀποειπεῖν,
ᾗ περ δὴ φρονέω τε καὶ ὡς τετελεσμένον ἔσται, 310

ὡς μή μοι τρύζητε παρήμενοι ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος.
ἐχθρὸς γάρ μοι κεῖνος ὁμῶς Ἀΐδαο πύλῃσιν
ὅς χ’ ἕτερον μὲν κεύθῃ ἐνὶ φρεσίν, ἄλλο δὲ εἴπῃ.
αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐρέω ὥς μοι δοκεῖ εἶναι ἄριστα·
οὔτ’ ἔμεγ’ Ἀτρεΐδην Ἀγαμέμνονα πεισέμεν οἴω 315
οὔτ’ ἄλλους Δαναούς, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἄρα τις χάρις ἦεν
μάρνασθαι δηΐοισιν ἐπ’ ἀνδράσι νωλεμὲς αἰεί.
ἴση μοῖρα μένοντι καὶ εἰ μάλα τις πολεμίζοι·
ἐν δὲ ἰῇ τιμῇ ἠμὲν κακὸς ἠδὲ καὶ ἐσθλός·
κάτθαν’ ὁμῶς ὅ τ’ ἀεργὸς ἀνὴρ ὅ τε πολλὰ ἐοργώς. 320
οὐδέ τί μοι περίκειται, ἐπεὶ πάθον ἄλγεα θυμῷ
αἰεὶ ἐμὴν ψυχὴν παραβαλλόμενος πολεμίζειν.
ὡς δ’ ὄρνις ἀπτῆσι νεοσσοῖσι προφέρῃσι
μάστακ’ ἐπεί κε λάβῃσι, κακῶς δ’ ἄρα οἱ πέλει αὐτῇ,
ὣς καὶ ἐγὼ πολλὰς μὲν ἀΰπνους νύκτας ἴαυον, 325
ἤματα δ’ αἱματόεντα διέπρησσον πολεμίζων
ἀνδράσι μαρνάμενος ὀάρων ἕνεκα σφετεράων.
δώδεκα δὴ σὺν νηυσὶ πόλεις ἀλάπαξ’ ἀνθρώπων,
πεζὸς δ’ ἕνδεκά φημι κατὰ Τροίην ἐρίβωλον·
τάων ἐκ πασέων κειμήλια πολλὰ καὶ ἐσθλὰ 330
ἐξελόμην, καὶ πάντα φέρων Ἀγαμέμνονι δόσκον
Ἀτρεΐδῃ· ὁ δ’ ὄπισθε μένων παρὰ νηυσὶ θοῇσι
δεξάμενος διὰ παῦρα δασάσκετο, πολλὰ δ’ ἔχεσκεν.
ἄλλα δ’ ἀριστήεσσι δίδου γέρα καὶ βασιλεῦσι·
τοῖσι μὲν ἔμπεδα κεῖται, ἐμεῦ δ’ ἀπὸ μούνου Ἀχαιῶν 335
εἵλετ’, ἔχει δ’ ἄλοχον θυμαρέα· τῇ παριαύων
τερπέσθω. τί δὲ δεῖ πολεμιζέμεναι Τρώεσσιν
Ἀργείους; τί δὲ λαὸν ἀνήγαγεν ἐνθάδ’ ἀγείρας

Ἀτρεΐδης; ἦ οὐχ Ἑλένης ἕνεκ’ ἠϋκόμοιο;
ἦ μοῦνοι φιλέουσ’ ἀλόχους μερόπων ἀνθρώπων 340
Ἀτρεΐδαι; ἐπεὶ ὅς τις ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς καὶ ἐχέφρων
τὴν αὐτοῦ φιλέει καὶ κήδεται, ὡς καὶ ἐγὼ τὴν
ἐκ θυμοῦ φίλεον δουρικτητήν περ ἐοῦσαν.
νῦν δ’ ἐπεὶ ἐκ χειρῶν γέρας εἵλετο καί μ’ ἀπάτησε
μή μευ πειράτω εὖ εἰδότος· οὐδέ με πείσει. 345
ἀλλ’ Ὀδυσεῦ σὺν σοί τε καὶ ἄλλοισιν βασιλεῦσι
φραζέσθω νήεσσιν ἀλεξέμεναι δήϊον πῦρ.
ἦ μὲν δὴ μάλα πολλὰ πονήσατο νόσφιν ἐμεῖο,
καὶ δὴ τεῖχος ἔδειμε, καὶ ἤλασε τάφρον ἐπ’ αὐτῷ
εὐρεῖαν μεγάλην, ἐν δὲ σκόλοπας κατέπηξεν· 350
ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ ὧς δύναται σθένος Ἕκτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο
ἴσχειν· ὄφρα δ’ ἐγὼ μετ’ Ἀχαιοῖσιν πολέμιζον
οὐκ ἐθέλεσκε μάχην ἀπὸ τείχεος ὀρνύμεν Ἕκτωρ,
ἀλλ’ ὅσον ἐς Σκαιάς τε πύλας καὶ φηγὸν ἵκανεν·
ἔνθά ποτ’ οἶον ἔμιμνε, μόγις δέ μευ ἔκφυγεν ὁρμήν. 355
νῦν δ’ ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐθέλω πολεμιζέμεν Ἕκτορι δίῳ
αὔριον ἱρὰ Διὶ ῥέξας καὶ πᾶσι θεοῖσι
νηήσας εὖ νῆας, ἐπὴν ἅλα δὲ προερύσσω,
ὄψεαι, αἴ κ’ ἐθέλῃσθα καὶ αἴ κέν τοι τὰ μεμήλῃ,
ἦρι μάλ’ Ἑλλήσποντον ἐπ’ ἰχθυόεντα πλεούσας 360
νῆας ἐμάς, ἐν δ’ ἄνδρας ἐρεσσέμεναι μεμαῶτας·
εἰ δέ κεν εὐπλοίην δώῃ κλυτὸς ἐννοσίγαιος
ἤματί κε τριτάτῳ Φθίην ἐρίβωλον ἱκοίμην.
ἔστι δέ μοι μάλα πολλά, τὰ κάλλιπον ἐνθάδε ἔῤῥων·
ἄλλον δ’ ἐνθένδε χρυσὸν καὶ χαλκὸν ἐρυθρὸν 365
ἠδὲ γυναῖκας ἐϋζώνους πολιόν τε σίδηρον
ἄξομαι, ἅσσ’ ἔλαχόν γε· γέρας δέ μοι, ὅς περ ἔδωκεν,

αὖτις ἐφυβρίζων ἕλετο κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων
Ἀτρεΐδης· τῷ πάντ’ ἀγορευέμεν ὡς ἐπιτέλλω
ἀμφαδόν, ὄφρα καὶ ἄλλοι ἐπισκύζωνται Ἀχαιοί, 370
εἴ τινά που Δαναῶν ἔτι ἔλπεται ἐξαπατήσειν
αἰὲν ἀναιδείην ἐπιειμένος· οὐδ’ ἂν ἔμοιγε
τετλαίη κύνεός περ ἐὼν εἰς ὦπα ἰδέσθαι·
οὐδέ τί οἱ βουλὰς συμφράσσομαι, οὐδὲ μὲν ἔργον·
ἐκ γὰρ δή μ’ ἀπάτησε καὶ ἤλιτεν· οὐδ’ ἂν ἔτ’ αὖτις 375
ἐξαπάφοιτ’ ἐπέεσσιν· ἅλις δέ οἱ· ἀλλὰ ἕκηλος
ἐῤῥέτω· ἐκ γάρ εὑ φρένας εἵλετο μητίετα Ζεύς.
ἐχθρὰ δέ μοι τοῦ δῶρα, τίω δέ μιν ἐν καρὸς αἴσῃ.
οὐδ’ εἴ μοι δεκάκις τε καὶ εἰκοσάκις τόσα δοίη
ὅσσά τέ οἱ νῦν ἔστι, καὶ εἴ ποθεν ἄλλα γένοιτο, 380
οὐδ’ ὅσ’ ἐς Ὀρχομενὸν ποτινίσεται, οὐδ’ ὅσα Θήβας
Αἰγυπτίας, ὅθι πλεῖστα δόμοις ἐν κτήματα κεῖται,
αἵ θ’ ἑκατόμπυλοί εἰσι, διηκόσιοι δ’ ἀν’ ἑκάστας
ἀνέρες ἐξοιχνεῦσι σὺν ἵπποισιν καὶ ὄχεσφιν·
οὐδ’ εἴ μοι τόσα δοίη ὅσα ψάμαθός τε κόνις τε, 385
οὐδέ κεν ὧς ἔτι θυμὸν ἐμὸν πείσει’ Ἀγαμέμνων
πρίν γ’ ἀπὸ πᾶσαν ἐμοὶ δόμεναι θυμαλγέα λώβην.
κούρην δ’ οὐ γαμέω Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο,
οὐδ’ εἰ χρυσείῃ Ἀφροδίτῃ κάλλος ἐρίζοι,
ἔργα δ’ Ἀθηναίῃ γλαυκώπιδι ἰσοφαρίζοι· 390
οὐδέ μιν ὧς γαμέω· ὁ δ’ Ἀχαιῶν ἄλλον ἑλέσθω,
ὅς τις οἷ τ’ ἐπέοικε καὶ ὃς βασιλεύτερός ἐστιν.
ἢν γὰρ δή με σαῶσι θεοὶ καὶ οἴκαδ’ ἵκωμαι,

Πηλεύς θήν μοι ἔπειτα γυναῖκά γε μάσσεται αὐτός.
πολλαὶ Ἀχαιΐδες εἰσὶν ἀν’ Ἑλλάδα τε Φθίην τε, 395
κοῦραι ἀριστήων, οἵ τε πτολίεθρα ῥύονται,
τάων ἥν κ’ ἐθέλωμι φίλην ποιήσομ’ ἄκοιτιν.
ἔνθα δέ μοι μάλα πολλὸν ἐπέσσυτο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ
γήμαντα μνηστὴν ἄλοχον ἐϊκυῖαν ἄκοιτιν
κτήμασι τέρπεσθαι τὰ γέρων ἐκτήσατο Πηλεύς· 400
οὐ γὰρ ἐμοὶ ψυχῆς ἀντάξιον οὐδ’ ὅσα φασὶν
Ἴλιον ἐκτῆσθαι εὖ ναιόμενον πτολίεθρον
τὸ πρὶν ἐπ’ εἰρήνης, πρὶν ἐλθεῖν υἷας Ἀχαιῶν,
οὐδ’ ὅσα λάϊνος οὐδὸς ἀφήτορος ἐντὸς ἐέργει
Φοίβου Ἀπόλλωνος Πυθοῖ ἔνι πετρηέσσῃ. 405
ληϊστοὶ μὲν γάρ τε βόες καὶ ἴφια μῆλα,
κτητοὶ δὲ τρίποδές τε καὶ ἵππων ξανθὰ κάρηνα,
ἀνδρὸς δὲ ψυχὴ πάλιν ἐλθεῖν οὔτε λεϊστὴ
οὔθ’ ἑλετή, ἐπεὶ ἄρ κεν ἀμείψεται ἕρκος ὀδόντων.
μήτηρ γάρ τέ μέ φησι θεὰ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα 410
διχθαδίας κῆρας φερέμεν θανάτοιο τέλος δέ.
εἰ μέν κ’ αὖθι μένων Τρώων πόλιν ἀμφιμάχωμαι,
ὤλετο μέν μοι νόστος, ἀτὰρ κλέος ἄφθιτον ἔσται·
εἰ δέ κεν οἴκαδ’ ἵκωμι φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν,
ὤλετό μοι κλέος ἐσθλόν, ἐπὶ δηρὸν δέ μοι αἰὼν 415
ἔσσεται, οὐδέ κέ μ’ ὦκα τέλος θανάτοιο κιχείη.
καὶ δ’ ἂν τοῖς ἄλλοισιν ἐγὼ παραμυθησαίμην
οἴκαδ’ ἀποπλείειν, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι δήετε τέκμωρ
Ἰλίου αἰπεινῆς· μάλα γάρ ἑθεν εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς
χεῖρα ἑὴν ὑπερέσχε, τεθαρσήκασι δὲ λαοί. 420
ἀλλ’ ὑμεῖς μὲν ἰόντες ἀριστήεσσιν Ἀχαιῶν
ἀγγελίην ἀπόφασθε—τὸ γὰρ γέρας ἐστὶ γερόντων—

ὄφρ’ ἄλλην φράζωνται ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μῆτιν ἀμείνω,
ἥ κέ σφιν νῆάς τε σαῷ καὶ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν
νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇς, ἐπεὶ οὔ σφισιν ἥδε γ’ ἑτοίμη, 425
ἣν νῦν ἐφράσσαντο ἐμεῦ ἀπομηνίσαντος·
Φοῖνιξ δ’ αὖθι παρ’ ἄμμι μένων κατακοιμηθήτω,
ὄφρά μοι ἐν νήεσσι φίλην ἐς πατρίδ’ ἕπηται
αὔριον ἢν ἐθέλῃσιν· ἀνάγκῃ δ’ οὔ τί μιν ἄξω.»
Ὣς ἔφαθ’, οἳ δ’ ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ 430
μῦθον ἀγασσάμενοι· μάλα γὰρ κρατερῶς ἀπέειπεν·
ὀψὲ δὲ δὴ μετέειπε γέρων ἱππηλάτα Φοῖνιξ
δάκρυ’ ἀναπρήσας· περὶ γὰρ δίε νηυσὶν Ἀχαιῶν·
«εἰ μὲν δὴ νόστόν γε μετὰ φρεσὶ φαίδιμ’ Ἀχιλλεῦ
βάλλεαι, οὐδέ τι πάμπαν ἀμύνειν νηυσὶ θοῇσι 435
πῦρ ἐθέλεις ἀΐδηλον, ἐπεὶ χόλος ἔμπεσε θυμῷ,
πῶς ἂν ἔπειτ’ ἀπὸ σεῖο φίλον τέκος αὖθι λιποίμην
οἶος; σοὶ δέ μ’ ἔπεμπε γέρων ἱππηλάτα Πηλεὺς
ἤματι τῷ ὅτε σ’ ἐκ Φθίης Ἀγαμέμνονι πέμπε
νήπιον οὔ πω εἰδόθ’ ὁμοιΐου πολέμοιο 440
οὐδ’ ἀγορέων, ἵνα τ’ ἄνδρες ἀριπρεπέες τελέθουσι.
τοὔνεκά με προέηκε διδασκέμεναι τάδε πάντα,
μύθων τε ῥητῆρ’ ἔμεναι πρηκτῆρά τε ἔργων.
ὡς ἂν ἔπειτ’ ἀπὸ σεῖο φίλον τέκος οὐκ ἐθέλοιμι
λείπεσθ’, οὐδ’ εἴ κέν μοι ὑποσταίη θεὸς αὐτὸς 445
γῆρας ἀποξύσας θήσειν νέον ἡβώοντα,
οἷον ὅτε πρῶτον λίπον Ἑλλάδα καλλιγύναικα
φεύγων νείκεα πατρὸς Ἀμύντορος Ὀρμενίδαο,
ὅς μοι παλλακίδος περιχώσατο καλλικόμοιο,
τὴν αὐτὸς φιλέεσκεν, ἀτιμάζεσκε δ’ ἄκοιτιν 450
μητέρ’ ἐμήν· ἣ δ’ αἰὲν ἐμὲ λισσέσκετο γούνων
παλλακίδι προμιγῆναι, ἵν’ ἐχθήρειε γέροντα.

τῇ πιθόμην καὶ ἔρεξα· πατὴρ δ’ ἐμὸς αὐτίκ’ ὀϊσθεὶς
πολλὰ κατηρᾶτο, στυγερὰς δ’ ἐπεκέκλετ’ Ἐρινῦς,
μή ποτε γούνασιν οἷσιν ἐφέσσεσθαι φίλον υἱὸν 455
ἐξ ἐμέθεν γεγαῶτα· θεοὶ δ’ ἐτέλειον ἐπαρὰς
Ζεύς τε καταχθόνιος καὶ ἐπαινὴ Περσεφόνεια. 457
ἔνθ’ ἐμοὶ οὐκέτι πάμπαν ἐρητύετ’ ἐν φρεσὶ θυμὸς 462
πατρὸς χωομένοιο κατὰ μέγαρα στρωφᾶσθαι.
ἦ μὲν πολλὰ ἔται καὶ ἀνεψιοὶ ἀμφὶς ἐόντες
αὐτοῦ λισσόμενοι κατερήτυον ἐν μεγάροισι, 465
πολλὰ δὲ ἴφια μῆλα καὶ εἰλίποδας ἕλικας βοῦς
ἔσφαζον, πολλοὶ δὲ σύες θαλέθοντες ἀλοιφῇ
εὑόμενοι τανύοντο διὰ φλογὸς Ἡφαίστοιο,
πολλὸν δ’ ἐκ κεράμων μέθυ πίνετο τοῖο γέροντος.
εἰνάνυχες δέ μοι ἀμφ’ αὐτῷ παρὰ νύκτας ἴαυον· 470
οἳ μὲν ἀμειβόμενοι φυλακὰς ἔχον, οὐδέ ποτ’ ἔσβη
πῦρ, ἕτερον μὲν ὑπ’ αἰθούσῃ εὐερκέος αὐλῆς,
ἄλλο δ’ ἐνὶ προδόμῳ, πρόσθεν θαλάμοιο θυράων.
ἀλλ’ ὅτε δὴ δεκάτη μοι ἐπήλυθε νὺξ ἐρεβεννή,
καὶ τότ’ ἐγὼ θαλάμοιο θύρας πυκινῶς ἀραρυίας 475
ῥήξας ἐξῆλθον, καὶ ὑπέρθορον ἑρκίον αὐλῆς
ῥεῖα, λαθὼν φύλακάς τ’ ἄνδρας δμῳάς τε γυναῖκας.
φεῦγον ἔπειτ’ ἀπάνευθε δι’ Ἑλλάδος εὐρυχόροιο,
Φθίην δ’ ἐξικόμην ἐριβώλακα μητέρα μήλων
ἐς Πηλῆα ἄναχθ’· ὁ δέ με πρόφρων ὑπέδεκτο, 480

καί μ’ ἐφίλησ’ ὡς εἴ τε πατὴρ ὃν παῖδα φιλήσῃ
μοῦνον τηλύγετον πολλοῖσιν ἐπὶ κτεάτεσσι,
καί μ’ ἀφνειὸν ἔθηκε, πολὺν δέ μοι ὤπασε λαόν·
ναῖον δ’ ἐσχατιὴν Φθίης Δολόπεσσιν ἀνάσσων.
καί σε τοσοῦτον ἔθηκα θεοῖς ἐπιείκελ’ Ἀχιλλεῦ, 485
ἐκ θυμοῦ φιλέων, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐθέλεσκες ἅμ’ ἄλλῳ
οὔτ’ ἐς δαῖτ’ ἰέναι οὔτ’ ἐν μεγάροισι πάσασθαι,
πρίν γ’ ὅτε δή σ’ ἐπ’ ἐμοῖσιν ἐγὼ γούνεσσι καθίσσας
ὄψου τ’ ἄσαιμι προταμὼν καὶ οἶνον ἐπισχών.
πολλάκι μοι κατέδευσας ἐπὶ στήθεσσι χιτῶνα 490
οἴνου ἀποβλύζων ἐν νηπιέῃ ἀλεγεινῇ.
ὣς ἐπὶ σοὶ μάλα πολλὰ πάθον καὶ πολλὰ μόγησα,
τὰ φρονέων ὅ μοι οὔ τι θεοὶ γόνον ἐξετέλειον
ἐξ ἐμεῦ· ἀλλὰ σὲ παῖδα θεοῖς ἐπιείκελ’ Ἀχιλλεῦ
ποιεύμην, ἵνα μοί ποτ’ ἀεικέα λοιγὸν ἀμύνῃς. 495
ἀλλ’ Ἀχιλεῦ δάμασον θυμὸν μέγαν· οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ
νηλεὲς ἦτορ ἔχειν· στρεπτοὶ δέ τε καὶ θεοὶ αὐτοί,
τῶν περ καὶ μείζων ἀρετὴ τιμή τε βίη τε.
καὶ μὲν τοὺς θυέεσσι καὶ εὐχωλῇς ἀγανῇσι
λοιβῇ τε κνίσῃ τε παρατρωπῶσ’ ἄνθρωποι 500
λισσόμενοι, ὅτε κέν τις ὑπερβήῃ καὶ ἁμάρτῃ.
καὶ γάρ τε λιταί εἰσι Διὸς κοῦραι μεγάλοιο
χωλαί τε ῥυσαί τε παραβλῶπές τ’ ὀφθαλμώ,
αἵ ῥά τε καὶ μετόπισθ’ ἄτης ἀλέγουσι κιοῦσαι.
ἣ δ’ ἄτη σθεναρή τε καὶ ἀρτίπος, οὕνεκα πάσας 505
πολλὸν ὑπεκπροθέει, φθάνει δέ τε πᾶσαν ἐπ’ αἶαν
βλάπτουσ’ ἀνθρώπους· αἳ δ’ ἐξακέονται ὀπίσσω.
ὃς μέν τ’ αἰδέσεται κούρας Διὸς ἆσσον ἰούσας,
τὸν δὲ μέγ’ ὤνησαν καί τ’ ἔκλυον εὐχομένοιο·

ὃς δέ κ’ ἀνήνηται καί τε στερεῶς ἀποείπῃ, 510
λίσσονται δ’ ἄρα ταί γε Δία Κρονίωνα κιοῦσαι
τῷ ἄτην ἅμ’ ἕπεσθαι, ἵνα βλαφθεὶς ἀποτίσῃ.
ἀλλ’ Ἀχιλεῦ πόρε καὶ σὺ Διὸς κούρῃσιν ἕπεσθαι
τιμήν, ἥ τ’ ἄλλων περ ἐπιγνάμπτει νόον ἐσθλῶν.
εἰ μὲν γὰρ μὴ δῶρα φέροι τὰ δ’ ὄπισθ’ ὀνομάζοι 515
Ἀτρεΐδης, ἀλλ’ αἰὲν ἐπιζαφελῶς χαλεπαίνοι,
οὐκ ἂν ἔγωγέ σε μῆνιν ἀποῤῥίψαντα κελοίμην
Ἀργείοισιν ἀμυνέμεναι χατέουσί περ ἔμπης·
νῦν δ’ ἅμα τ’ αὐτίκα πολλὰ διδοῖ τὰ δ’ ὄπισθεν ὑπέστη,
ἄνδρας δὲ λίσσεσθαι ἐπιπροέηκεν ἀρίστους 520
κρινάμενος κατὰ λαὸν Ἀχαιϊκόν, οἵ τε σοὶ αὐτῷ
φίλτατοι Ἀργείων· τῶν μὴ σύ γε μῦθον ἐλέγξῃς
μηδὲ πόδας· πρὶν δ’ οὔ τι νεμεσσητὸν κεχολῶσθαι.
οὕτω καὶ τῶν πρόσθεν ἐπευθόμεθα κλέα ἀνδρῶν
ἡρώων, ὅτε κέν τιν’ ἐπιζάφελος χόλος ἵκοι· 525
δωρητοί τε πέλοντο παράῤῥητοί τ’ ἐπέεσσι.
μέμνημαι τόδε ἔργον ἐγὼ πάλαι οὔ τι νέον γε
ὡς ἦν· ἐν δ’ ὑμῖν ἐρέω πάντεσσι φίλοισι.
Κουρῆτές τ’ ἐμάχοντο καὶ Αἰτωλοὶ μενεχάρμαι
ἀμφὶ πόλιν Καλυδῶνα καὶ ἀλλήλους ἐνάριζον, 530
Αἰτωλοὶ μὲν ἀμυνόμενοι Καλυδῶνος ἐραννῆς,
Κουρῆτες δὲ διαπραθέειν μεμαῶτες Ἄρηϊ.
καὶ γὰρ τοῖσι κακὸν χρυσόθρονος Ἄρτεμις ὦρσε
χωσαμένη ὅ οἱ οὔ τι θαλύσια γουνῷ ἀλωῆς
Οἰνεὺς ῥέξ’· ἄλλοι δὲ θεοὶ δαίνυνθ’ ἑκατόμβας, 535
οἴῃ δ’ οὐκ ἔῤῥεξε Διὸς κούρῃ μεγάλοιο.
ἢ λάθετ’ ἢ οὐκ ἐνόησεν· ἀάσατο δὲ μέγα θυμῷ.
ἣ δὲ χολωσαμένη δῖον γένος ἰοχέαιρα
ὦρσεν ἔπι χλούνην σῦν ἄγριον ἀργιόδοντα,

ὃς κακὰ πόλλ’ ἕρδεσκεν ἔθων Οἰνῆος ἀλωήν· 540
πολλὰ δ’ ὅ γε προθέλυμνα χαμαὶ βάλε δένδρεα μακρὰ
αὐτῇσιν ῥίζῃσι καὶ αὐτοῖς ἄνθεσι μήλων.
τὸν δ’ υἱὸς Οἰνῆος ἀπέκτεινεν Μελέαγρος
πολλέων ἐκ πολίων θηρήτορας ἄνδρας ἀγείρας
καὶ κύνας· οὐ μὲν γάρ κε δάμη παύροισι βροτοῖσι· 545
τόσσος ἔην, πολλοὺς δὲ πυρῆς ἐπέβησ’ ἀλεγεινῆς.
ἣ δ’ ἀμφ’ αὐτῷ θῆκε πολὺν κέλαδον καὶ ἀϋτήν,
ἀμφὶ συὸς κεφαλῇ καὶ δέρματι λαχνήεντι,
Κουρήτων τε μεσηγὺ καὶ Αἰτωλῶν μεγαθύμων.
ὄφρα μὲν οὖν Μελέαγρος ἄρηι φίλος πολέμιζε, 550
τόφρα δὲ Κουρήτεσσι κακῶς ἦν, οὐδὲ δύναντο
τείχεος ἔκτοσθεν μίμνειν πολέες περ ἐόντες·
ἀλλ’ ὅτε δὴ Μελέαγρον ἔδυ χόλος, ὅς τε καὶ ἄλλων
οἰδάνει ἐν στήθεσσι νόον πύκα περ φρονεόντων,
ἤτοι ὁ μητρὶ φίλῃ Ἀλθαίῃ χωόμενος κῆρ 555
κεῖτο παρὰ μνηστῇ ἀλόχῳ καλῇ Κλεοπάτρῃ,
κούρῃ Μαρπήσσης καλλισφύρου Εὐηνίνης
Ἴδεώ θ’, ὃς κάρτιστος ἐπιχθονίων γένετ’ ἀνδρῶν
τῶν τότε—καί ῥα ἄνακτος ἐναντίον εἵλετο τόξον
Φοίβου Ἀπόλλωνος καλλισφύρου εἵνεκα νύμφης, 560
τὴν δὲ τότ’ ἐν μεγάροισι πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ
Ἀλκυόνην καλέεσκον ἐπώνυμον, οὕνεκ’ ἄρ’ αὐτῆς
μήτηρ ἀλκυόνος πολυπενθέος οἶτον ἔχουσα
κλαῖεν ὅ μιν ἑκάεργος ἀνήρπασε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων—
τῇ ὅ γε παρκατέλεκτο χόλον θυμαλγέα πέσσων, 565
ἐξ ἀρέων μητρὸς κεχολωμένος, ἥ ῥα θεοῖσι
πόλλ’ ἀχέουσ’ ἠρᾶτο κασιγνήτοιο φόνοιο,
πολλὰ δὲ καὶ γαῖαν πολυφόρβην χερσὶν ἀλοία

κικλήσκουσ’ Ἀΐδην καὶ ἐπαινὴν Περσεφόνειαν,
πρόχνυ καθεζομένη, δεύοντο δὲ δάκρυσι κόλποι, 570
παιδὶ δόμεν θάνατον· τῆς δ’ ἠεροφοῖτις Ἐρινὺς
ἔκλυεν ἐξ Ἐρέβεσφιν ἀμείλιχον ἦτορ ἔχουσα.
τῶν δὲ τάχ’ ἀμφὶ πύλας ὅμαδος καὶ δοῦπος ὀρώρει
πύργων βαλλομένων· τὸν δὲ λίσσοντο γέροντες
Αἰτωλῶν, πέμπον δὲ θεῶν ἱερῆας ἀρίστους, 575
ἐξελθεῖν καὶ ἀμῦναι ὑποσχόμενοι μέγα δῶρον·
ὁππόθι πιότατον πεδίον Καλυδῶνος ἐραννῆς,
ἔνθά μιν ἤνωγον τέμενος περικαλλὲς ἑλέσθαι
πεντηκοντόγυον, τὸ μὲν ἥμισυ οἰνοπέδοιο,
ἥμισυ δὲ ψιλὴν ἄροσιν πεδίοιο ταμέσθαι. 580
πολλὰ δέ μιν λιτάνευε γέρων ἱππηλάτα Οἰνεὺς
οὐδοῦ ἐπεμβεβαὼς ὑψηρεφέος θαλάμοιο
σείων κολλητὰς σανίδας γουνούμενος υἱόν·
πολλὰ δὲ τόν γε κασίγνηται καὶ πότνια μήτηρ
ἐλλίσσονθ’· ὁ δὲ μᾶλλον ἀναίνετο· πολλὰ δ’ ἑταῖροι, 585
οἵ οἱ κεδνότατοι καὶ φίλτατοι ἦσαν ἁπάντων·
ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ ὧς τοῦ θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔπειθον,
πρίν γ’ ὅτε δὴ θάλαμος πύκ’ ἐβάλλετο, τοὶ δ’ ἐπὶ πύργων
βαῖνον Κουρῆτες καὶ ἐνέπρηθον μέγα ἄστυ.
καὶ τότε δὴ Μελέαγρον ἐΰζωνος παράκοιτις 590
λίσσετ’ ὀδυρομένη, καί οἱ κατέλεξεν ἅπαντα
κήδε’, ὅσ’ ἀνθρώποισι πέλει τῶν ἄστυ ἁλώῃ·
ἄνδρας μὲν κτείνουσι, πόλιν δέ τε πῦρ ἀμαθύνει,
τέκνα δέ τ’ ἄλλοι ἄγουσι βαθυζώνους τε γυναῖκας.
τοῦ δ’ ὠρίνετο θυμὸς ἀκούοντος κακὰ ἔργα, 595

βῆ δ’ ἰέναι, χροῒ δ’ ἔντε’ ἐδύσετο παμφανόωντα.
ὣς ὁ μὲν Αἰτωλοῖσιν ἀπήμυνεν κακὸν ἦμαρ
εἴξας ᾧ θυμῷ· τῷ δ’ οὐκέτι δῶρα τέλεσσαν
πολλά τε καὶ χαρίεντα, κακὸν δ’ ἤμυνε καὶ αὔτως.
ἀλλὰ σὺ μή μοι ταῦτα νόει φρεσί, μὴ δέ σε δαίμων 600
ἐνταῦθα τρέψειε φίλος· κάκιον δέ κεν εἴη
νηυσὶν καιομένῃσιν ἀμυνέμεν· ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ δώρων
ἔρχεο· ἶσον γάρ σε θεῷ τίσουσιν Ἀχαιοί.
εἰ δέ κ’ ἄτερ δώρων πόλεμον φθισήνορα δύῃς
οὐκέθ’ ὁμῶς τιμῆς ἔσεαι πόλεμόν περ ἀλαλκών.» 605
Τὸν δ’ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·
«Φοῖνιξ ἄττα γεραιὲ διοτρεφὲς οὔ τί με ταύτης
χρεὼ τιμῆς· φρονέω δὲ τετιμῆσθαι Διὸς αἴσῃ,
ἥ μ’ ἕξει παρὰ νηυσὶ κορωνίσιν εἰς ὅ κ’ ἀϋτμὴ
ἐν στήθεσσι μένῃ καί μοι φίλα γούνατ’ ὀρώρῃ. 610
ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δ’ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσι·
μή μοι σύγχει θυμὸν ὀδυρόμενος καὶ ἀχεύων,
Ἀτρεΐδῃ ἥρωϊ φέρων χάριν· οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ
τὸν φιλέειν, ἵνα μή μοι ἀπέχθηαι φιλέοντι.
καλόν τοι σὺν ἐμοὶ τὸν κήδειν ὅς κ’ ἐμὲ κήδῃ· 615
ἶσον ἐμοὶ βασίλευε καὶ ἥμισυ μείρεο τιμῆς.
οὗτοι δ’ ἀγγελέουσι, σὺ δ’ αὐτόθι λέξεο μίμνων
εὐνῇ ἔνι μαλακῇ· ἅμα δ’ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφι
φρασσόμεθ’ ἤ κε νεώμεθ’ ἐφ’ ἡμέτερ’ ἦ κε μένωμεν.»
Ἦ καὶ Πατρόκλῳ ὅ γ’ ἐπ’ ὀφρύσι νεῦσε σιωπῇ 620
Φοίνικι στορέσαι πυκινὸν λέχος, ὄφρα τάχιστα
ἐκ κλισίης νόστοιο μεδοίατο· τοῖσι δ’ ἄρ’ Αἴας
ἀντίθεος Τελαμωνιάδης μετὰ μῦθον ἔειπε·
«διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη πολυμήχαν’ Ὀδυσσεῦ,
ἴομεν· οὐ γάρ μοι δοκέει μύθοιο τελευτὴ 625

τῇδέ γ’ ὁδῷ κρανέεσθαι· ἀπαγγεῖλαι δὲ τάχιστα
χρὴ μῦθον Δαναοῖσι καὶ οὐκ ἀγαθόν περ ἐόντα,
οἵ που νῦν ἕαται ποτιδέγμενοι. αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς
ἄγριον ἐν στήθεσσι θέτο μεγαλήτορα θυμόν,
σχέτλιος, οὐδὲ μετατρέπεται φιλότητος ἑταίρων 630
τῆς ᾗ μιν παρὰ νηυσὶν ἐτίομεν ἔξοχον ἄλλων,
νηλής· καὶ μέν τίς τε κασιγνήτοιο φονῆος
ποινὴν ἢ οὗ παιδὸς ἐδέξατο τεθνηῶτος·
καί ῥ’ ὁ μὲν ἐν δήμῳ μένει αὐτοῦ πόλλ’ ἀποτίσας,
τοῦ δέ τ’ ἐρητύεται κραδίη καὶ θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ 635
ποινὴν δεξαμένῳ· σοὶ δ’ ἄληκτόν τε κακόν τε
θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι θεοὶ θέσαν εἵνεκα κούρης
οἴης· νῦν δέ τοι ἑπτὰ παρίσχομεν ἔξοχ’ ἀρίστας,
ἄλλά τε πόλλ’ ἐπὶ τῇσι· σὺ δ’ ἵλαον ἔνθεο θυμόν,
αἴδεσσαι δὲ μέλαθρον· ὑπωρόφιοι δέ τοί εἰμεν 640
πληθύος ἐκ Δαναῶν, μέμαμεν δέ τοι ἔξοχον ἄλλων
κήδιστοί τ’ ἔμεναι καὶ φίλτατοι ὅσσοι Ἀχαιοί.»
Τὸν δ’ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεύς·
«Αἶαν διογενὲς Τελαμώνιε κοίρανε λαῶν,
πάντά τί μοι κατὰ θυμὸν ἐείσαο μυθήσασθαι· 645
ἀλλά μοι οἰδάνεται κραδίη χόλῳ ὁππότε κείνων
μνήσομαι ὥς μ’ ἀσύφηλον ἐν Ἀργείοισιν ἔρεξεν
Ἀτρεΐδης ὡς εἴ τιν’ ἀτίμητον μετανάστην.
ἀλλ’ ὑμεῖς ἔρχεσθε καὶ ἀγγελίην ἀπόφασθε·
οὐ γὰρ πρὶν πολέμοιο μεδήσομαι αἱματόεντος, 650
πρίν γ’ υἱὸν Πριάμοιο δαΐφρονος Ἕκτορα δῖον,
Μυρμιδόνων ἐπί τε κλισίας καὶ νῆας ἱκέσθαι
κτείνοντ’ Ἀργείους, κατά τε σμῦξαι πυρὶ νῆας.

ἀμφὶ δέ τοι τῇ ἐμῇ κλισίῃ καὶ νηῒ μελαίνῃ
Ἕκτορα καὶ μεμαῶτα μάχης σχήσεσθαι ὀΐω.» 655
Ὣς ἔφαθ’, οἳ δὲ ἕκαστος ἑλὼν δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον
σπείσαντες παρὰ νῆας ἴσαν πάλιν· ἦρχε δ’ Ὀδυσσεύς.
Πάτροκλος δ’ ἑτάροισιν ἰδὲ δμωῇσι κέλευσε
Φοίνικι στορέσαι πυκινὸν λέχος ὅττι τάχιστα.
αἳ δ’ ἐπιπειθόμεναι στόρεσαν λέχος ὡς ἐκέλευσε, 660
κώεά τε ῥῆγός τε λίνοιό τε λεπτὸν ἄωτον.
ἔνθ’ ὁ γέρων κατέλεκτο καὶ ἠῶ δῖαν ἔμιμνεν.
αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς εὗδε μυχῷ κλισίης εὐπήκτου·
τῷ δ’ ἄρα παρκατέλεκτο γυνή, τὴν Λεσβόθεν ἦγε,
Φόρβαντος θυγάτηρ Διομήδη καλλιπάρῃος. 665
Πάτροκλος δ’ ἑτέρωθεν ἐλέξατο· πὰρ δ’ ἄρα καὶ τῷ
Ἶφις ἐΰζωνος, τήν οἱ πόρε δῖος Ἀχιλλεὺς
Σκῦρον ἑλὼν αἰπεῖαν Ἐνυῆος πτολίεθρον.
Οἱ δ’ ὅτε δὴ κλισίῃσιν ἐν Ἀτρεΐδαο γένοντο.
τοὺς μὲν ἄρα χρυσέοισι κυπέλλοις υἷες Ἀχαιῶν 670
δειδέχατ’ ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος ἀνασταδόν, ἔκ τ’ ἐρέοντο·
πρῶτος δ’ ἐξερέεινεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων·
«εἴπ’ ἄγε μ’ ὦ πολύαιν’ Ὀδυσεῦ μέγα κῦδος Ἀχαιῶν
ἤ ῥ’ ἐθέλει νήεσσιν ἀλεξέμεναι δήϊον πῦρ,
ἦ ἀπέειπε, χόλος δ’ ἔτ’ ἔχει μεγαλήτορα θυμόν;» 675
Τὸν δ’ αὖτε προσέειπε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·
«Ἀτρεΐδη κύδιστε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγάμεμνον
κεῖνός γ’ οὐκ ἐθέλει σβέσσαι χόλον, ἀλλ’ ἔτι μᾶλλον
πιμπλάνεται μένεος, σὲ δ’ ἀναίνεται ἠδὲ σὰ δῶρα.
αὐτόν σε φράζεσθαι ἐν Ἀργείοισιν ἄνωγεν 680
ὅππως κεν νῆάς τε σαῷς καὶ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν·
αὐτὸς δ’ ἠπείλησεν ἅμ’ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφι
νῆας ἐϋσσέλμους ἅλαδ’ ἑλκέμεν ἀμφιελίσσας.
καὶ δ’ ἂν τοῖς ἄλλοισιν ἔφη παραμυθήσασθαι

οἴκαδ’ ἀποπλείειν, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι δήετε τέκμωρ 685
Ἰλίου αἰπεινῆς· μάλα γάρ ἑθεν εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς
χεῖρα ἑὴν ὑπερέσχε, τεθαρσήκασι δὲ λαοί.
ὣς ἔφατ’· εἰσὶ καὶ οἵδε τάδ’ εἰπέμεν, οἵ μοι ἕποντο,
Αἴας καὶ κήρυκε δύω πεπνυμένω ἄμφω.
Φοῖνιξ δ’ αὖθ’ ὁ γέρων κατελέξατο, ὡς γὰρ ἀνώγει, 690
ὄφρά οἱ ἐν νήεσσι φίλην ἐς πατρίδ’ ἕπηται
αὔριον, ἢν ἐθέλῃσιν· ἀνάγκῃ δ’ οὔ τί μιν ἄξει.»
Ὣς ἔφαθ’, οἳ δ’ ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ
μῦθον ἀγασσάμενοι· μάλα γὰρ κρατερῶς ἀγόρευσε.
δὴν δ’ ἄνεῳ ἦσαν τετιηότες υἷες Ἀχαιῶν· 695
ὀψὲ δὲ δὴ μετέειπε βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Διομήδης·
«Ἀτρεΐδη κύδιστε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγάμεμνον,
μὴ ὄφελες λίσσεσθαι ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐωνα,
μυρία δῶρα διδούς· ὁ δ’ ἀγήνωρ ἐστὶ καὶ ἄλλως·
νῦν αὖ μιν πολὺ μᾶλλον ἀγηνορίῃσιν ἐνῆκας. 700
ἀλλ’ ἤτοι κεῖνον μὲν ἐάσομεν ἤ κεν ἴῃσιν
ἦ κε μένῃ· τότε δ’ αὖτε μαχήσεται ὁππότε κέν μιν
θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἀνώγῃ καὶ θεὸς ὄρσῃ.
ἀλλ’ ἄγεθ’ ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω πειθώμεθα πάντες·
νῦν μὲν κοιμήσασθε τεταρπόμενοι φίλον ἦτορ 750
σίτου καὶ οἴνοιο· τὸ γὰρ μένος ἐστὶ καὶ ἀλκή·
αὐτὰρ ἐπεί κε φανῇ καλὴ ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,
καρπαλίμως πρὸ νεῶν ἐχέμεν λαόν τε καὶ ἵππους
ὀτρύνων, καὶ δ’ αὐτὸς ἐνὶ πρώτοισι μάχεσθαι.»
Ὣς ἔφαθ’, οἳ δ’ ἄρα πάντες ἐπῄνησαν βασιλῆες, 710
μῦθον ἀγασσάμενοι Διομήδεος ἱπποδάμοιο.
καὶ τότε δὴ σπείσαντες ἔβαν κλισίην δὲ ἕκαστος,
ἔνθα δὲ κοιμήσαντο καὶ ὕπνου δῶρον ἕλοντο.

THE ILIAD IX

So the Trojans kept their watch. But among the Achaeans, a divine panic, companion to chilling fear, held sway, and all their finest men were stricken with a grief beyond enduring. As when two winds, the North Wind and the West Wind that blow from Thrace, rise up to churn the fish-filled sea, descending suddenly, and at once the black wave crests and casts great tangles of seaweed along the shore, so was the spirit in the Achaeans’ breasts torn asunder. And the son of Atreus, his heart pierced by a great sorrow, went among the clear-voiced heralds, bidding them summon every man to the assembly by name, but without shouting; and he himself toiled among the foremost. They took their seats in the assembly, heavy with sorrow. Then Agamemnon stood before them, shedding tears like a dark-watered spring that pours its dusky stream down a sheer cliff’s face. So, with a heavy groan, he spoke these words among the Argives: “O my friends, leaders and counselors of the Argives, Zeus, son of Cronos, has enmeshed me in a grievous delusion. Cruel god, who once promised me and nodded his assent that I should sack the well-walled city of Ilium before sailing for home; but now he has devised a wicked deceit, and bids me return to Argos in dishonor, having lost so many of my people. Such, it seems, is the pleasure of almighty Zeus, who has already laid low the towering crowns of many cities and will lay low more still; for his is the greatest power. Come then, let us all obey the course I now propose: let us flee with our ships to our own dear fatherland, for we shall never take Troy of the wide ways.” So he spoke, and they all fell into a hushed silence. For a long time the sons of the Achaeans sat speechless, lost in sorrow. At last Diomedes of the great war cry spoke among them: “Son of Atreus, I shall be the first to contend with your folly, as is my right, my lord, in the assembly; and you, be not angered. It was my courage you first disparaged among the Danaans, declaring me unwarlike and without valor. All this the Argives know, both young and old. The son of Cronos of the crooked counsels gave you gifts, but gave them divided: with the scepter he granted you honor above all others, but valor he did not grant you, which is the greatest strength of all. Unhappy man! Do you truly believe the sons of the Achaeans are as unwarlike and without valor as you claim? If your own heart is so set on returning, then go! The way is open for you, and your ships lie near the sea, the many ships that followed you from Mycenae. But the other long-haired Achaeans will remain, until we have utterly sacked Troy. And even if they too should flee with their ships to their own dear fatherland, still the two of us, Sthenelus and I, will fight on until we find the destined end of Ilium; for it was with a god that we came.” So he spoke, and all the sons of the Achaeans roared their approval, marveling at the words of Diomedes, tamer of horses. Then among them arose and spoke the horseman Nestor: “Son of Tydeus, you are mighty in war, and in counsel you are the best of all your peers. No Achaean will find fault with your speech or speak against it, yet you have not reached the heart of the matter. You are still young, indeed, young enough to be my own son, the last-born of my line; yet you speak with wisdom to the kings of the Argives, for you have spoken according to what is right. But come, I who can boast of being older than you will speak out and go through all the matter; and no one will scorn my words, not even lord Agamemnon. Outcast, lawless, and homeless is that man who craves the horror of war among his own people. But for now, let us yield to the black night. Let us prepare our supper, and let the sentinels station themselves one by one along the trench dug outside the wall. This charge I give to the young men. But after that, son of Atreus, you must take the lead, for you are most kingly of all. Give a feast for the elders; it is fitting for you, and not unseemly. Your huts are full of wine, which the ships of the Achaeans bring daily from Thrace over the wide sea. You have all that is needed for hospitality, and you rule over many. When many are gathered, you will listen to the one who offers the best counsel. And great is the need for all Achaeans of counsel both good and prudent, for the enemy burns his many fires near our ships. Who could rejoice at such a sight? This very night will either shatter our army or save it.” So he spoke, and they listened to him intently and obeyed. The sentinels hastened forth in their armor, led by Nestor’s son Thrasymedes, shepherd of the people, and by Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sons of Ares, and by Meriones, Aphareus, and Deipyrus, and by the son of Creon, godlike Lycomedes. There were seven captains of the watch, and with each went a hundred young men bearing long spears in their hands. They went out and took their posts between the trench and the wall; there they kindled a fire and each man prepared his supper. But the son of Atreus led the assembled elders of the Achaeans to his own hut, and set before them a satisfying feast. They put forth their hands to the good food that lay ready before them. But when they had put aside their desire for food and drink, the old man Nestor, whose counsel had ever before seemed the best, was the first to begin weaving his plan. With all good will for them, he addressed the assembly and spoke: “Most glorious son of Atreus, Agamemnon, lord of men, with you I shall end and from you I shall begin, for you are lord over many peoples, and Zeus has placed in your hands the scepter and the laws, that you might take counsel for them. Therefore it is your duty above all to speak a word and also to listen, and to fulfill the wish of another when his heart moves him to speak for the common good; for on you will depend whatever is set in motion. And so I shall say what seems best to my mind. For no one will devise a better plan than this which I have held in mind for a long time, and hold still, ever since that day, O Zeus-born king, when you went from the hut of the angered Achilles and took the maiden Briseis, against our judgment. Indeed, I urged you strongly against it; but you, yielding to your own proud spirit, dishonored the bravest of men, one whom the immortals themselves have honored; for you took his prize of honor and you keep it. But even now let us consider how we might appease him and persuade him with soothing gifts and gentle words.” Then Agamemnon, lord of men, answered him in turn: “Old man, you have recounted my follies with no falsehood. I was blind, and I myself do not deny it. Worth many hosts is the man whom Zeus loves in his heart, as he has now honored this man and crushed the Achaean people. But since I was blind, and yielded to my wretched passion, I am willing to make amends and to give measureless restitution. Before you all I will name the glorious gifts: seven tripods untouched by fire, ten talents of gold, twenty gleaming cauldrons, and twelve strong, prize-winning horses that have won victories with their feet. No man who possessed so much would be without substance, nor would he lack for precious gold, such treasures have my single-hoofed horses won for me. And I will give seven women skilled in flawless crafts, women of Lesbos, whom I myself chose when he captured well-built Lesbos, women who surpassed the race of women in their beauty. These I will give him, and among them will be she whom I then took away, the daughter of Briseus. And I will swear a great oath that I never went up into her bed nor lay with her, as is the custom of mankind, of men and women. All these things shall be his at once. And if the gods grant that we sack the great city of Priam, let him enter when we Achaeans divide the spoils and load his ship with gold and bronze, and let him choose for himself twenty Trojan women, those who are most beautiful after Argive Helen. And if we should reach Achaean Argos, that rich soil, he may be my son-in-law; I will honor him equally with Orestes, my own treasured son, who is raised in abundant luxury. For I have three daughters in my well-built halls, Chrysothemis, Laodice, and Iphianassa. Let him lead whichever one he desires, without bride-price, to the house of Peleus as his dear wife; and I shall add such wedding gifts, so many, as no man has ever given with his daughter. Seven well-peopled citadels I will give him: Cardamyle, Enope, and grassy Hire; holy Pherae and Antheia of the deep meadows; lovely Aipeia and Pedasus of the vineyards. They are all near the sea, at the farthest edge of sandy Pylos, and in them dwell men rich in sheep and rich in cattle, who will honor him with gifts as if he were a god and under his scepter fulfill his shining decrees. All this I will accomplish for him if he will but cease from his anger. Let him be humbled—for Hades is implacable and untamed, and for this he is the most hated of all gods by mortals—and let him yield to me, inasmuch as I am the greater king and can claim to be the elder in years.” Then the Gerenian horseman Nestor answered him: “Most glorious son of Atreus, Agamemnon, lord of men, these are gifts that no one could scorn to offer to lord Achilles. Come then, let us dispatch chosen men, that they may go with all speed to the hut of Achilles, son of Peleus. Let those whom I select now consent to go. First, let Phoenix, beloved of Zeus, be their leader; and after him great Ajax and godlike Odysseus. And of the heralds, let Odius and Eurybates attend them. Now bring water for our hands, and bid all keep a reverent silence, so that we may pray to Zeus, son of Cronos, in hope that he may show us mercy.” So he spoke, and his word was pleasing to them all. At once the heralds poured water over their hands, and the young men filled the mixing bowls to the brim with drink, and served it to all, pouring first a few drops into each cup for libation. Then, when they had poured their libations and had drunk as much as their hearts desired, they set out from the hut of Agamememnon, son of Atreus. And the Gerenian horseman Nestor gave them many instructions, glancing at each man in turn, but most of all at Odysseus, urging that they try every means to persuade the blameless son of Peleus. So the two of them walked along the shore of the loud-resounding sea, praying earnestly to the god who holds the earth and shakes it that they might easily persuade the great heart of the descendant of Aeacus. They came to the huts and ships of the Myrmidons and found him delighting his heart with a clear-toned lyre, beautiful and intricately wrought, with a silver cross-bar upon it. He had taken it from the spoils when he destroyed the city of Eetion, and with it he was now soothing his spirit, singing of the glorious deeds of heroes. Patroclus alone sat opposite him in silence, waiting for the son of Aeacus to finish his song. The two envoys came forward, with godlike Odysseus leading the way, and stood before him. Achilles, amazed, sprang to his feet, still holding the lyre, leaving the seat where he had been sitting. In the same way Patroclus also rose when he saw the men. Then swift-footed Achilles greeted them and spoke: “Welcome. You are friends who have come. Surely the need is great—you who are still, in my anger, the dearest of the Achaeans to me.” Having spoken thus, godlike Achilles led them forward and seated them on chairs with purple coverings. Then he spoke at once to Patroclus, who was nearby: “Son of Menoetius, set out a larger mixing bowl, and mix a stronger wine, and prepare a cup for each man; for these are the dearest of men who are under my roof.” So he spoke, and Patroclus obeyed his dear comrade. He cast a great chopping block down in the firelight, and on it he laid the back of a sheep and of a fat goat, and the chine of a great hog, rich with lard. Automedon held the meat for him, while godlike Achilles carved it. He cut it carefully into pieces and pierced them with spits, and the son of Menoetius, a man like a god, made the fire blaze high. When the fire had burned down and the flames died away, he spread the embers and stretched the spits over them, resting them on stones, and sprinkled the meat with holy salt. Then, when he had roasted it and laid it on platters, Patroclus took bread and served it on the table in beautiful baskets, while Achilles served the meat. He himself sat down opposite godlike Odysseus, against the other wall, and told Patroclus, his comrade, to make an offering to the gods; and he cast the first portions into the fire. Then they put forth their hands to the good food that lay ready before them. But when they had put aside their desire for food and drink, Ajax nodded to Phoenix. Godlike Odysseus perceived this, and filling his cup with wine, he toasted Achilles: “Your health, Achilles! We do not lack for an equal feast, neither in the hut of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, nor here now in yours; for there is much here to satisfy the heart. But the joys of the feast are not our concern. Instead, O Zeus-nurtured one, it is a terrible disaster we behold, and we are afraid. It is balanced on a razor’s edge whether we save our well-benched ships or they are destroyed, unless you put on your valor. For close to our ships and wall the Trojans, high of heart, and their far-famed allies have pitched their camp. They have kindled many fires throughout their army and believe they can no longer be held back, but will fall upon our black ships. And Zeus, son of Cronos, shows them favorable signs, flashing his lightning on their right. Hector, exulting in his great strength, rages terribly, trusting in Zeus, and pays no heed to men or gods; a mighty madness has entered him. He prays for the swift coming of the sacred Dawn, for he vows he will hew the high sterns from our ships, burn the ships themselves with consuming fire, and slaughter the Achaeans beside them as they are thrown into confusion by the smoke. I fear dreadfully in my heart that the gods may fulfill his threats, and that it is our fate to perish here in Troy, far from horse-pasturing Argos. Rise up, then, if you have a mind, even at this late hour, to save the sons of the Achaeans as they are worn down by the Trojan onslaught. For you yourself it will be a grief hereafter, and once the harm is done, there is no remedy to be found. No, think long before that day how you will shield the Danaans from evil. My friend, surely your father Peleus charged you on that day he sent you from Phthia to Agamemnon: ‘My son, Athena and Hera will give you strength, if it is their will; but you must hold in check the pride in your own breast, for a kindly heart is better. Cease from mischief-making strife, so that the Argives, both young and old, may honor you the more.’ Thus the old man charged you, but you have forgotten. Yet even now, put a stop to it; let go of your heart-grieving anger. Agamemnon offers you worthy gifts, if you will cease from your wrath. Listen now, and I will recount to you all the gifts Agamemnon has promised from his huts: seven tripods untouched by fire, ten talents of gold, twenty gleaming cauldrons, and twelve strong, prize-winning horses that have won victories with their feet. No man who possessed so much would be without substance, nor would he lack for precious gold, such treasures have Agamemnon’s horses won for him with their feet. And he will give seven women skilled in flawless crafts, women of Lesbos, whom he himself chose when you captured well-built Lesbos, women who at that time surpassed the race of women in their beauty. These he will give you, and among them will be she whom he then took away, the daughter of Briseus. And he will swear a great oath that he never went up into her bed nor lay with her, as is the custom, my lord, between men and women. All these things shall be yours at once. And if the gods grant that we sack the great city of Priam, you may enter when we Achaeans divide the spoils and load your ship with gold and bronze, and you may choose for yourself twenty Trojan women, those who are most beautiful after Argive Helen. And if we should reach Achaean Argos, that rich soil, you may be his son-in-law; he will honor you equally with Orestes, his own treasured son, who is raised in abundant luxury. For he has three daughters in his well-built halls, Chrysothemis, Laodice, and Iphianassa. You may lead whichever one you desire, without bride-price, to the house of Peleus as your dear wife; and he will add such wedding gifts, so many, as no man has ever given with his daughter. Seven well-peopled citadels he will give you: Cardamyle, Enope, and grassy Hire; holy Pherae and Antheia of the deep meadows; lovely Aipeia and Pedasus of the vineyards. They are all near the sea, at the farthest edge of sandy Pylos, and in them dwell men rich in sheep and rich in cattle, who will honor you with gifts as if you were a god and under your scepter fulfill his shining decrees. All this he will accomplish for you if you will but cease from your anger. But if the son of Atreus is too hateful to you in your heart, he and his gifts, then take pity on all the other Achaeans, who are being ground down throughout the army. They will honor you as a god; for truly, you would win immense glory in their eyes. For now you might kill Hector, since he would come very close to you in his destructive madness, for he claims there is no man like him among the Danaans whom the ships brought here.” Then swift-footed Achilles answered him in turn: “Zeus-born son of Laertes, Odysseus of many wiles, I must speak my mind bluntly, just as I think and just as it shall come to pass, so that you do not sit here beside me murmuring from one side and then the other. For that man is as hateful to me as the gates of Hades, who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another. I, then, will say what seems best to me. I do not think that Agamemnon, son of Atreus, will persuade me, nor any of the other Danaans, since it seems there was no gratitude for fighting relentlessly against our enemies forever. The same fate awaits the man who hangs back and the one who wars his best; in the same honor are held the coward and the brave. The man who does nothing and the man who does much die alike. And nothing has been gained for me, for all the sorrows I have suffered in my heart, always staking my own life in battle. As a bird brings morsels to her unfledged chicks in her beak whenever she finds them, though she herself fares badly, so I too have kept watch through many sleepless nights and passed many bloody days in combat, fighting men for the sake of their women. Twelve cities of men I have sacked with my ships, and eleven, I say, by land across the fertile Trojan plain. From all of these I took many fine treasures, and I would bring them all and give them to Agamemnon, son of Atreus. And he, staying behind by the swift ships, would take them, distribute a few, and keep the many. The other prizes he gave to the chieftains and kings remain securely theirs; from me alone of the Achaeans has he taken my prize. He has my heart’s delight, my wife; let him lie beside her and take his pleasure. Why must the Argives wage war on the Trojans? Why did the son of Atreus gather an army and lead it here? Was it not for the sake of fair-haired Helen? Are the sons of Atreus the only mortal men who love their wives? No, any man who is good and sound of mind loves and cherishes his own, as I loved her from my heart, though she was won by my spear. But now that he has torn my prize from my hands and deceived me, let him not try me, for I know him well; he will not persuade me. No, Odysseus, let him take counsel with you and the other kings on how to ward off the enemy’s fire from the ships. Truly he has accomplished much without my help: he has built a wall and driven a trench beside it, wide and large, and planted stakes within it. Yet even so he cannot contain the might of man-slaying Hector. As long as I fought among the Achaeans, Hector had no wish to stir the battle far from the wall, but would come only as far as the Scaean Gates and the oak tree. There he once waited for me alone, and barely escaped my onset. But now, since I have no wish to fight with godlike Hector, tomorrow, after sacrificing to Zeus and all the gods, I will load my ships well, and when I have dragged them down to the sea, you will see, if you wish and if it concerns you, my ships sailing at dawn over the fish-filled Hellespont, and in them men eager to row. And if the glorious Earth-Shaker grants me fair sailing, on the third day I should reach fertile Phthia. I have great wealth there, which I left behind when I came to my ruin here. Other gold and ruddy bronze, and fair-girdled women and gray iron I shall take from here, all that fell to my lot. But my prize of honor, which he gave me, lord Agamemnon, son of Atreus, has taken back in his arrogance. Tell him all this as I charge you, and speak it openly, so that the other Achaeans may also be indignant, if he, ever clothed in shamelessness, still hopes to deceive some other Danaan. Yet he would not dare, dog that he is, to look me in the face. I will share with him neither counsel nor action, for he has utterly deceived and wronged me. Never again will he beguile me with his words. Enough for him. Let him go to his ruin in peace, for Zeus the counselor has robbed him of his wits. His gifts are hateful to me, I count them worth a wisp of straw. Not if he gave me ten and twenty times all that he has now, and whatever else might be added from any source, not all that flows into Orchomenus, nor all that goes to Thebes of Egypt, where the greatest treasures lie in the houses, a city of a hundred gates, from each of which two hundred men drive forth with horses and chariots; not if he gave me gifts as numerous as the sand and the dust, not even so would Agamemnon persuade my heart, until he has paid me in full for all the heart-grieving outrage. And the daughter of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, I will not marry, not if she rivaled golden Aphrodite in beauty, and equaled bright-eyed Athena in her handiwork; not even so will I marry her. Let him choose another of the Achaeans, one who is his equal and more of a king than I. For if the gods preserve me and I reach my home, Peleus himself, I think, will then find me a wife. There are many Achaean women throughout Hellas and Phthia, daughters of chieftains who guard their cities; whichever of them I wish I shall make my dear wife. And there my proud heart has long yearned to take a lawful wife, a fitting spouse, and to enjoy the possessions that the old man Peleus has acquired. For nothing is worth the price of my life, not all the wealth they say the well-peopled citadel of Ilium possessed in former times of peace, before the sons of the Achaeans came, nor all the treasure that the stone threshold of the archer, Phoebus Apollo, encloses in rocky Pytho. For cattle and fat sheep can be had for the raiding, and tripods can be won and the tawny heads of horses; but a man’s life cannot be raided or seized, to bring it back again, once it has passed the barrier of his teeth. For my mother, the silver-footed goddess Thetis, tells me that I bear two branching fates to the end of my death. If I remain here and fight around the city of the Trojans, my return home is lost, but my glory will be unfading. But if I return home to my own dear fatherland, my noble glory is lost, but my life will be long, and the end of death will not be swift to come upon me. And I would counsel the rest of you as well to sail for home, since you will no longer find the end of high Ilium; for far-seeing Zeus has stretched his own hand over it, and its people have taken heart. So you must go and deliver my message to the chieftains of the Achaeans—for that is the prerogative of elders—so they may devise some other, better plan in their minds, one that will save their ships and the Achaean people beside the hollow ships, since this plan they have now devised is of no avail, on account of my unrelenting wrath. Let Phoenix stay here and sleep beside us, so that he may follow me in my ships to our dear fatherland tomorrow, if he wishes; but I will not take him by force.” So he spoke, and they all fell into a hushed silence, marveling at his words, for he had refused them with great vehemence. At last the old horseman Phoenix spoke, bursting into tears, for he greatly feared for the Achaean ships: “If indeed, glorious Achilles, you are setting your mind on returning, and have no wish at all to ward off the consuming fire from the swift ships, since anger has fallen upon your heart, how then, dear child, could I be left here behind you, alone? The old horseman Peleus sent me with you on that day when he sent you from Phthia to Agamemnon, a mere boy, knowing nothing yet of leveling warfare, nor of assemblies where men win distinction. For this reason he sent me, to teach you all these things, to be both a speaker of words and a doer of deeds. So, dear child, I would not wish to be left behind you, not even if a god himself were to promise me that he would strip away my old age and make me a youth in my prime, as I was when I first left Hellas of the fair women, fleeing a quarrel with my father, Amyntor son of Ormenus. He was enraged with me over his fair-haired concubine, whom he himself loved, thereby dishonoring his own wife, my mother. She would clasp my knees and implore me constantly to lie with the concubine, so that the girl might come to loathe the old man. I obeyed her and did it; but my father, perceiving it at once, cursed me repeatedly, and called upon the hateful Furies, praying that no dear son of my own blood should ever sit upon his knees. And the gods fulfilled his curses, both Zeus of the underworld and dread Persephone. Then the heart in my breast could no longer bear to pace through the halls of my angered father. My cousins and kinsmen gathered around me, pleading with me and trying to keep me there in the halls. They slaughtered many fat sheep and shambling, crumpled-horned cattle; many hogs, rich with lard, were singed and stretched over the flames of Hephaestus; and much wine was drunk from the old man’s jars. For nine nights they slept around me. They kept watch in turns, and the fire was never quenched, one fire under the portico of the well-fenced courtyard, and another in the forecourt, before the doors of my chamber. But when the tenth dark night came upon me, I broke through the tightly fitted doors of my chamber and went out, and I leaped over the courtyard fence with ease, unseen by the watchmen and the serving women. Then I fled far away through the wide spaces of Hellas, and came to fertile Phthia, mother of flocks, to lord Peleus. He received me with a generous heart and loved me as a father loves his only son, his late-born child, heir to his great possessions. He made me rich and gave me many people, and I dwelt at the farthest edge of Phthia, ruling over the Dolopians. And it was I who made you what you are, godlike Achilles, loving you from my heart. For with any other man you would not go to a feast, nor would you eat in the hall, until I had set you on my knees and cut your food for you first, and held the wine to your lips. Many times you soaked the tunic on my chest, sputtering wine in your troublesome infancy. Thus I suffered much for you and toiled much, mindful that the gods had brought forth no child of my own. Instead, I made you my child, godlike Achilles, so that you might one day ward off shameful ruin from me. So, Achilles, master your proud spirit; you must not have a pitiless heart. Even the gods themselves can be moved, and their virtue, honor, and strength are greater than ours. Men turn their will with sacrifices and gentle prayers, with libations and the savor of burnt offerings, beseeching them when anyone has transgressed and sinned. For Prayers are the daughters of great Zeus, and they are lame, and wrinkled, and their eyes are cast aside, and they labor to follow in the footsteps of Folly. But Folly is strong and swift of foot, and so she outruns them all, and comes first to every land to harm mankind; and the Prayers follow after, trying to heal the hurt. The man who reveres the daughters of Zeus when they draw near, him they will greatly aid, and they will hear him when he prays. But if a man denies them and stubbornly refuses, they go and entreat Zeus, son of Cronos, that Folly may attend that man, so that he may be harmed and pay the penalty. Therefore, Achilles, you too must grant the daughters of Zeus the respect that sways the minds of other good men. For if the son of Atreus were not bringing gifts and promising others hereafter, but were instead forever raging in bitter anger, I would not be the one to ask you to cast off your wrath and defend the Argives, however great their need. But as it is, he offers many gifts at once and has promised more to come, and he has sent the best men to plead with you, chosen from all the Achaean host, the very men who are dearest to you among the Argives. Do not now scorn their words, nor their journey here; though before this, no one could blame you for being angry. Thus have we heard the glories of heroes of old, whenever a consuming anger came upon one of them: they could be won over with gifts and swayed by words. I remember this deed of old—it is not new—and how it was; and I will tell it here among you all, who are my friends. The Curetes and the steadfast Aetolians were fighting around the city of Calydon, slaughtering one another—the Aetolians defending lovely Calydon, and the Curetes eager in their wrath to lay it waste. For Artemis of the golden throne had sent a plague upon them, angry that Oeneus had not offered her the first fruits of the harvest in his rich orchard; the other gods feasted on hecatombs, but to the daughter of great Zeus alone he did not sacrifice. Either he forgot, or he did not think; but his mind was blinded, and he sinned greatly. And she, the archer goddess, angered in her divine nature, sent forth a savage wild boar with gleaming tusks, which did great harm, frequenting the orchard of Oeneus. Many tall trees it cast to the ground, uprooted, with their apple blossoms and all. But Meleager, the son of Oeneus, killed the boar, gathering huntsmen and hounds from many cities—for the beast was so great it could not have been overcome by a few mortals, and it had put many men on the sorrowful pyre. But the goddess stirred up a great clamor and shouting around the boar, over its head and its bristling hide, between the Curetes and the great-hearted Aetolians. So long as Meleager, beloved of Ares, fought, things went badly for the Curetes, and they could not remain outside their walls, numerous as they were. But when anger entered Meleager—an anger that can swell in the breasts even of those who are otherwise sound of mind—he, enraged in his heart at his own mother Althaea, lay idle beside his wedded wife, the beautiful Cleopatra, daughter of Marpessa of the fair ankles, child of Evenus, and of Idas, who was the strongest of mortal men on earth at that time—he who even took up his bow against the lord Phoebus Apollo for the sake of his fair-ankled bride. In their halls, her father and honored mother used to call her Alcyone, a second name, because her mother, suffering the fate of the mournful kingfisher, wept when the far-working Phoebus Apollo snatched her away. Beside her he lay, nursing his heart-grieving anger, enraged because of his mother’s curses; for she, grieving much for her brother’s death, had prayed to the gods, and often struck the life-giving earth with her hands, calling upon Hades and dread Persephone, as she knelt with her lap soaked in tears, to bring death upon her son. And the Fury that walks in darkness, she of the pitiless heart, heard her from Erebus. Soon the din and clamor of the foe rose around the gates as the towers were being battered. The Aetolian elders and the finest priests of the gods sent a delegation, beseeching him to come out and defend them, and promising a great gift: where the plain of lovely Calydon was richest, they bade him choose a beautiful estate of fifty acres, half of it for vineyards and the other half open plowland to be cleared from the plain. The old horseman Oeneus pleaded with him again and again, standing on the threshold of his high-roofed chamber, shaking the bolted doors and imploring his son. His sisters and his honored mother implored him, but he refused them all the more. His comrades, those who were truest and dearest of all, pleaded with him. Yet not even so could they persuade the heart in his breast, not until his own chamber was being struck hard, and the Curetes were scaling the towers and setting the great city on fire. Then at last his fair-girdled wife beseeched Meleager with tears, and recounted to him all the sorrows that befall a people whose city is captured: the men are killed, the city is leveled by fire, and others lead away the children and the deep-girdled women. And his spirit was stirred as he heard of these evil deeds, and he went and put on his gleaming armor. Thus he warded off the evil day from the Aetolians, yielding to his own spirit. But they no longer paid him the many lovely gifts; he saved them from evil, but did so unrewarded. But you, my friend, do not let your mind think in this way, and do not let a divinity turn you down this path. It would be a worse thing to defend the ships once they are already burning. No, come for the gifts; the Achaeans will honor you as a god. But if you enter the man-destroying war without gifts, you will no longer have the same honor, even though you drive the battle back.” Then swift-footed Achilles answered him: “Phoenix, old father, nourished by Zeus, I have no need of this honor. I think I am honored enough by the decree of Zeus, which will keep me here by the beaked ships as long as the breath remains in my chest and my dear knees are nimble. And I will tell you something else, and you cast it in your heart: do not vex my spirit with weeping and grieving, trying to win favor for the hero, son of Atreus. You should not love that man, lest you become hateful to me, who love you. It is right for you to stand with me and trouble the one who troubles me. Be king equally with me and share half my honor. These men will carry my message back; but you stay here and lie down on a soft bed, and with the coming of the dawn we will consider whether to return to our own land or to remain.” He spoke, and with a silent glance of his brows, he signaled to Patroclus to make up a dense bed for Phoenix, so that the others might think of leaving the hut at once. But then Ajax, the godlike son of Telamon, spoke among them: “Zeus-born son of Laertes, Odysseus of many wiles, let us go. For I do not think the purpose of our mission will be accomplished on this journey. We must report our message back to the Danaans with all speed, bitter though it is, for they are sitting now and waiting for us. But Achilles has put a savage and proud spirit in his breast, cruel man, and he has no regard for the love of his comrades, the love with which we honored him above all others by the ships. He is pitiless. And yet a man will accept compensation even from the murderer of his brother or his own dead son. The killer remains in his own land after paying a great price, and the other’s heart and proud spirit are appeased once he has accepted the payment. But you—the gods have put in your breast an implacable and evil anger for the sake of a single girl. And now we offer you seven, the very best, and many other gifts besides them. Show a gracious heart, and respect your own roof; for we are under your roof, come from the host of the Danaans, and we are eager to be, above all others, the closest and dearest to you of all the Achaeans.” Then swift-footed Achilles answered him in turn: “Ajax, Zeus-born son of Telamon, captain of the host, all that you have said seems to come from your own heart. But my heart swells with rage whenever I remember those things, how the son of Atreus treated me with contempt among the Argives, as if I were some dishonored wanderer. But you go and take my message back. I will not think of bloody war until the son of wise Priam, godlike Hector, comes to the huts and ships of the Myrmidons, slaughtering Argives, and smothers the ships in fire. But around my own hut and my own black ship, I think Hector, for all his fury, will be stopped.” So he spoke. And they each took up a two-handled cup, and having poured a libation, went back along the ships, and Odysseus led the way. Patroclus then commanded his comrades and serving women to make up a dense bed for Phoenix at once. They obeyed and made the bed as he ordered, with fleeces and a rug and the fine flower of linen. There the old man lay down and awaited the divine dawn. But Achilles slept in the recess of his well-built hut, and beside him lay a woman he had brought from Lesbos, the daughter of Phorbas, Diomede of the fair cheeks. And Patroclus lay down on the opposite side, and with him also lay fair-girdled Iphis, whom godlike Achilles had given him when he took Scyros, the steep citadel of Enyeus. When the envoys reached the huts of the son of Atreus, the sons of the Achaeans greeted them from all sides, rising and holding up golden cups; and they questioned them. The first to ask was Agamemnon, lord of men: “Tell me, much-praised Odysseus, great glory of the Achaeans, is he willing to ward off the enemy fire from our ships, or did he refuse, and does anger still possess his proud heart?” Then much-enduring, godlike Odysseus answered him: “Most glorious son of Atreus, Agamemnon, lord of men, that man is not willing to quench his anger, but is filled all the more with fury, and he rejects you and your gifts. He tells you to take counsel among the Argives yourself on how you might save the ships and the Achaean people. And he himself has threatened that with the coming of the dawn he will drag his curved, well-benched ships down to the sea. And he said he would counsel the others as well to sail for home, since you will no longer find the end of high Ilium; for far-seeing Zeus has stretched his own hand over it, and its people have taken heart. So he spoke. And here also are these men who followed me who can tell you the same, both Ajax and the two prudent heralds. But the old man Phoenix has laid down to sleep there, for so Achilles bade him, so that he might follow him in his ships to their dear fatherland tomorrow, if he wishes; but he will not take him by force.” So he spoke, and they all fell into a hushed silence, marveling at his words, for he had spoken with great vehemence. For a long time the sons of the Achaeans sat speechless, lost in sorrow. At last Diomedes of the great war cry spoke among them: “Most glorious son of Atreus, Agamemnon, lord of men, you should not have pleaded with the blameless son of Peleus, offering him countless gifts. He is arrogant enough as it is; and now you have driven him to even greater arrogance. But let us leave him be, whether he goes or stays. He will fight again at that time when the heart in his breast commands him, and a god urges him on. Come then, let us all obey the course I now propose. For now, go to your rest, having satisfied your dear hearts with food and wine, for in them lie strength and courage. But when the fair, rosy-fingered Dawn appears, swiftly draw up your host and your horses before the ships, urging them on, and fight yourself among the foremost.” So he spoke, and all the kings gave their assent, marveling at the words of Diomedes, tamer of horses. And then they poured libations and went each to his own hut, and there they lay down to rest and took the gift of sleep.

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